If the body be feeble, the mind will not be strong.

In the environment, every victory is temporary, every defeat permanent.

The best defense of democracy is an informed electorate.

The spirit of 1776 is not dead. It has only been slumbering. The body of the American people is substantially republican. But their virtuous feelings have been played on by some fact with more fiction; they have been the dupes of artful maneuvers, and made for a moment to be willing instruments in forging chains for themselves. But times and truth dissipated the delusion, and opened their eyes.

I hold it certain that to open the doors of truth and to fortify the habit of testing everything by reason are the most effectual manacles we can rivet on the hands of our successors to prevent their manacling the people with their own consent.

I have learned to be less confident in the conclusions of human reason, and give more credit to the honesty of contrary opinions.

I have ever judged of the religion of others by their lives. For it is in our lives, and not from our works, that our religion must be read.