Above all things, lose no occasion of exercising your dispositions to be grateful, to be generous, to be charitable, to be humane, to be true, just, firm, orderly, courageous, etc. Consider every act of this kind as an exercise which will strengthen your moral faculties and increase your worth.

The true foundation of republican government is the equal right of every citizen in his person and property and in their management.

While prudence will endeavor to avoid this issue of war, bravery will prepare to meet it.

Peace with all nations, and the right which that gives us with respect to all nations, are our object.

the study of the law is useful in a variety of points of view. it qualifies a man to be useful to himself, to his neighbors, & to the public.

Be assured that it gives much more pain to the mind to be in debt, than to do without any article whatever which we may seem to want.

The advocate of religious freedom is to expect neither peace nor forgiveness from [the clergy].