Governments constantly choose between telling lies and fighting wars, with the end result always being the same. One will always lead to the other.

ONLY a government that is AFRAID of its citizens tries to control them.

A rigid economy of the public contributions and absolute interdiction of all useless expenses will go far towards keeping the government honest and unoppressive.

Most men die at age 25, but aren't buried until 70.

I wish I was a despot that I might save the noble, the beautiful trees that are daily falling sacrifice to the cupidity of their owners, or the necessity of the poor. The unnecessary felling of a tree, perhaps the growth of centuries, seems to me a crime little short of murder.

The declaration of rights [Bill of Rights] is, like all other human blessings, alloyed with some inconveniences and not accomplishing fully its object. But the good in this instance vastly outweighs the evil.

Self-interest, or rather self-love, or egoism, has been more plausibly substituted as the basis of morality.