As to religion, I hold it to be the indispensable duty of all government to protect all conscientious professors thereof, and I know of no other business which government hath to do therewith.

One good schoolmaster is of more use than a hundred priests.

Whatever has a tendency to promote the civil intercourse of nations by an exchange of benefits is a subject as worthy of philosophy as of politics.

On this question of war, three things are to be considered. First, the right of declaring it: secondly, the expense of supporting it: thirdly, the mode of conducting it after it is declared.

Whatever is my right as a man is also the right of another; and it becomes my duty to guarantee as well as to possess.

It is from our enemies that we often gain excellent maxims, and are frequently surprised into reason by their mistakes.

The times that tried men's souls are over-and the greatest and completest revolution the world ever knew, gloriously and happily accomplished.