The republican is the only form of government which is not eternally at open or secret war with the rights of mankind.

Every gentleman plays billiards, but someone who plays billiards too well, is no gentleman.

One of my favorite ideas is, never to keep an unnecessary soldier.

It is for the benefit of mankind to mitigate the horrors of war as much as possible.

If our legislature does not heartily push our University [of Virginia] we must send our children for education to Kentucky [Transylvania College] or Cambridge [Harvard College]. The latter will return them to us as fanatics and tories, the former will keep them to add to their population.

Private enterprise manages so much better all the concerns to which it is equal.

Health is worth more than learning.