No person shall be restrained of his liberty but by regular process from a court of justice, authorized by a general law. . . . On complaint of an unlawful imprisonment to any judge whatsoever, he shall have the prisoner immediately brought before him and shall discharge him if his imprisonment be unlawful. The officer in whose custody the prisoner is shall obey the order of the judge, and both judge and officer shall be responsible civilly and criminally for a failure of duty herein.

I have no ambition to govern men; it is a painful and thankless office.

Students of reading, writing and common arithmetick . . . Graecian [Greek], Roman, English and American history . . . should be rendered . . . worthy to receive, and able to guard the sacred deposit of the rights and liberties of their fellow citizens.

I do not take a single newspaper, nor read one a month, and I feel myself infinitely the happier for it.

Freedom [is] the first-born daughter of science

Congress has not unlimited powers to provide for the general welfare, but only those specifically enumerated.

Peace, commerce and honest friendship with all nations; entangling alliances with none.