Creeds have been the bane of the Christian church ... made of Christendom a slaughter-house.

Preachers dread the advance of science as witches do the approach of daylight.

My reason for fixing them in office for a term of years, rather than for life, was that they might have an idea that they were at a certain period to return into the mass of the people and become the governed instead of the governors which might still keep alive that regard to the public good that otherwise they might perhaps be induced by their independence to forget.

No one, I hope, can doubt my wish to see... all mankind exercising self-government, and capable of exercising it. But the question is not what we wish, but what is practicable.

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.

One loves to possess arms, though they hope never to have occasion for them.

Nothing gives one person so much advantage over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under all circumstances.