The rights of conscience, of bearing arms, of changing the government, are declared to be inherent in the people.

A democracy is a volcano which conceals the fiery materials of its own destruction. These will produce an eruption and carry desolation in their way.

The known propensity of a democracy is to licentiousness which the ambitious call, and ignorant believe to be liberty.

Liberty is not to be enjoyed, indeed it cannot exist, without the habits of just subordination; it consists, not so much in removing all restraint from the orderly, as in imposing it on the violent.

The happiness of a people, and the good order and preservation of civil government, essentially depend on piety, religion, and morality.

A monarchy is a merchantman which sails well, but will sometimes strike on a rock, and go to the bottom; a republic is a raft which will never sink, but then your feet are always in the water.

[the framers of the Constitution] intended our government should be a republic, which differs more widely from a democracy than a democracy from a despotism.

No man can be a sound lawyer in this land who is not well read in the ethics of Moses and the virtues of Jesus.

I have heard it remarked that men are not to be reasoned out of an opinion they have not reasoned themselves into.

We are, heart and soul, friends to the freedom of the press...It is a precious pest, and a necessary mischief, and there would be no liberty without it.

All such men are, or ought to be, agreed, that simple governments are despotisms; and of all despotisms, a democracy, though the least durable, is the most violent.

Christmas and the others can end up making you sad, because you know you should be happy.

Self is the opaque veil that hides the Face of God from us. It can be removed only in spiritual experience, never by mere instruction.

The only shots you can be sure of are those you've had already.

The only excuse for being broke is being in Jail.

The 'lowly' finite is MUCH more beautiful than any 'infinite'

The part I enjoy most is not the doing, but the noticing.

They do not desire anything more than everything they have known.

Once our people get themselves into a position to make policy, they cease being our people.

An actor's a guy who, if you ain't talking about him, ain't listening.

I like to be around people who are very passionate. People that won't fight but that will be very over-protective and outspoken about their opinion, their point of view, their ideas.