And even should the cloud of barbarism and despotism again obscure the science and libraries of Europe, this country remains to preserve and restore light and liberty to them.

I have indeed two great measures at heart, without which no republic can maintain itself in strength: 1. That of general education, to enable every man to judge for himself what will secure or endanger his freedom. 2. To divide every county into hundreds, of such size that all the children of each will be within reach of a central school in it.

ONLY a government that is AFRAID of its citizens tries to control them.

While the principles of our Constitution give just latitude to inquiry, every citizen faithful to it will deem embodied expressions of discontent and open outrages of law and patriotism as dishonorable as they are injurious

If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.

the boys of the rising generation are to be the men of the next, and the sole guardians of the principles we deliver over to them.

The past stays put, I just keep moving farther away from it.