He who is the author of a war lets loose the whole contagion of hell and opens a vein that bleeds a nation to death.

But there are times when men have serious thoughts, and it is at such times, when they begin to think, that they begin to doubt the truth of the Christian religion; and well they may, for it is too fanciful and too full of conjecture, inconsistency, improbability and irrationality, to afford consolation to the thoughtful man. His reason revolts against his creed. He sees that none of its articles are proved, or can be proved.

Independence is my happiness, and I view things as they are, without regard to place or person; my country is the world, and my religion is to do good.

The Allwise Creator hath been dishonored by being made the author of fable and the human mind degraded by believing it.

Civil rights are those which appertain to man in right of his being a member of society. Every civil right has for its foundation some natural right pre-existing in the individual, but to the enjoyment of which his individual power is not, in all cases, sufficiently competent. Of this kind are all those which relate to security and protection.

The real man smiles in trouble, gathers strength from distress, and grows brave by reflection.

Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it.