The clergy believe that any power confided in me will be exerted in opposition to their schemes, and they believe rightly.

The present generation has the same right of self-government which the past one has exercised for itself.

I see the necessity of sacrificing our opinions sometimes to the opinions of others for the sake of harmony.

If we believe that he [Jesus Christ]really countenanced the follies, the falsehoods, and the charlatanisms, which his biographers [writers of the New Testament]father upon him, and admit the misconstructions, interpolations, and theorizations of the fathers of the early and the fanatics of the latter ages, the conclusion would be irresistible by every sound mind that he was an impostor.

The legislative powers of government reach actions only and not opinions.

I cannot live without books.

It is important to strengthen the State governments; and as this cannot be done by any change in the Federal Constitution (for the preservation of that is all we need contend for), it must be done by the States themselves, erecting such barriers at the constitutional line as cannot be surmounted either by themselves or by the General Government. The only barrier in their power is a wise government. A weak one will lose ground in every contest.