The division into whig and tory is founded in the nature of men; the weakly and nerveless, the rich and the corrupt, seeing more safety and accessibility in a strong executive; the healthy, firm, and virtuous, feeling confidence in their physical and moral resources, and willing to part with only so much power as is necessary for their good government; and, therefore, to retain the rest in the hands of the many, the division will substantially be into Whig and Tory.

Do not be too severe upon the errors of the people, but reclaim them by enlightening them.

The art of life is the art of avoiding pain.

. . . in the full tide of successful experiment.

The whole body of the nation is the sovereign legislative, judiciary, and executive power for itself. The inconvenience of meeting to exercise these powers in person, and their inaptitude to exercise them, induce them to appoint special organs to declare their legislative will, to judge and to execute it. It is the will of the nation which makes the law obligatory.

Our civil rights have no dependence upon our religious opinions more than our opinions in physics or geometry.

The time to guard against corruption and tyranny is before they shall have gotten hold of us.