It is the direction and not the magnitude which is to be taken into consideration.

There is something absurd in supposing a continent to be perpetually governed by an island.

The protection of a man's person is more sacred than the protection of his property.

Had the news of salvation by Jesus Christ been inscribed on the face of the sun and the moon, in characters that all nations would have understood, the whole earth had known it in twenty-four hours, and all nations would have believed it; whereas, though it is now almost two thousand years since, as they tell us, Christ came upon earth, not a twentieth part of the people of the earth know anything of it, and among those who do, the wiser part do not believe it.

The declaration which says that God visits the sins of the fathers upon the children is contrary to every principle of moral justice.

When we are planning for posterity, we ought to remember that virtue is not hereditary.

It requires but a very small glance of thought to perceive, that although laws made in one generation often continue in force through succeeding generations, yet that they continue to derive their force from the consent of the living. A law not repealed continues in force, not because it cannot be repealed, but because it is not repealed; and the non repealing passes for consent.