The multiplication of public offices, increase of expense beyond income, growth and entailment of a public debt are indications soliciting the employment of the pruning knife.

[T]he States can best govern our home concerns and the general government our foreign ones. I wish, therefore . . . never to see all offices transferred to Washington, where, further withdrawn from the eyes of the people, they may more secretly be bought and sold at market.

The declaration that religious faith shall be unpunished does not give immunity to criminal acts dictated by religious error.

Ignorance is a poor tool in a battle of wits.

To consider judges as the ultimate arbiters of all constitutional questions is a very dangerous doctrine indeed, and one which would place us under the despotism of an oligarchy.

...in war, they will kill some of us; we shall destroy all of them

Of all the cankers of human happiness none corrodes with so silent, yet so baneful an influence, as indolence.