The Constitution is a mere thing of wax in the hands of the judiciary, which they may twist and shape into any form they please.

Force cannot give right.

I think it is a great error to consider a heavy tax on wines as a tax on luxury. On the contrary, it is a tax on the health of our citizens.

I do not find in orthodox Christianity one redeeming feature.

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

When the representative body have lost the confidence of their constituents, when they have notoriously made sale of their most valuable rights, when they have assumed to themselves powers which the people never put into their hands, then indeed their continuing in office becomes dangerous to the state

It should be our endeavor to cultivate the peace and friendship of every nation . . . . Our interest will be to throw open the doors of commerce, and to knock off all its shackles, giving perfect freedom to all persons for the vent to whatever they may choose to bring into our ports, and asking the same in theirs.