To all general purposes we have uniformly been one people each individual citizen everywhere enjoying the same national rights, privileges, and protection.

People sometimes attribute my success to my genius; all the genius I know anything about is hard work.

Give all the power to the many, they will oppress the few. Give all the power to the few, they will oppress the many.

When a government betrays the people by amassing too much power and becoming tyrannical, the people have no choice but to exercise their original right of self-defense — to fight the government.

One great error is that we suppose mankind more honest than they are.

I think the first duty of society is justice.

There is a certain enthusiasm in liberty, that makes human nature rise above itself, in acts of bravery and heroism.

Men often oppose a thing merely because they have had no agency in planning it, or because it may have been planned by those whom they dislike.

A nation which can prefer disgrace to danger is prepared for a master, and deserves one.

Foreign influence is truly the Grecian horse to a republic. We cannot be too careful to exclude its influence.

It's not tyranny we desire; it's a just, limited, federal government.

Dogs have their day but cats have 365.

Women are naturally secretive, and they like to do their own secreting.

Peace is a fresh flower.

The trouble with you people is that you've been here for thirty million years and your perspectives are all wrong. You miss so much of the transitory beauty of life.

Is Medicare socialism? You want to get rid of Medicare. And a lot of the people against health care do. I want to preserve it and grow it.

Writing is probably one-fifth coming up with the stuff, and four-fifths self-editing again and again and again.

A man could not always be where he belonged, though.

I think we have people that are not even leaving their comfort zone to engage people with the gospel. I don't know if you can be overzealous, but you can be unwise in the way you do it.

Anything that isn't writing is easy

When you love a problem, its contours, obstacles and resistances are all just part of its character.