Monday, July 5, 2021

Founding Wisdom—Part I: Thomas Jefferson

Our country’s birthday is worth celebrating a little longer. In honor of the day I set out to look through my very long quote file for words from our founders. There are a great many words these thoughtful, wise men put to paper or speech—far more than have made their way into my quote file. And there are many good words from people since then, but I need to cut down somewhere to make things sharable, so I limited it to the founders, which leaves out historical wisdom from earlier or later times.

As I scrolled through the file, I found that I had more quotes from Thomas Jefferson than anyone else but probably Thomas Sowell (I used to get a quote from him nearly every week when he was writing his column). I was trying to get a representation from a number of the founders. But every time I told myself that I wasn’t going to include any more from Jefferson, I’d see another that was too good to leave out.

So I made a decision. Today’s quotes all come from Thomas Jefferson—a quiet person who had a way with written words, qualities I relate to (and try to emulate). Then—barring some news event that gets in the way—there will be a part two later in the week with words from several others of the founders. One thing I expect you’ll notice from all of them is how much their belief in God is intertwined with the ideas of freedom they express.


"Declaration of Independence," by John Trumbull
image from Wikipedia

 

Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson presidential portrait
by Rembrandt Peale
image from Wikipedia

 

“This was the object of the Declaration of Independence. Not to find out new principles, or new arguments, never before thought of, not merely to say things which have never been said before; but to place before mankind the common sense of the subject, in terms so plain and firm as to command their assent, and to justify ourselves in the independent stand we are compelled to take.  Neither aiming at originality of principle or sentiment, nor yet copied from any particular or previous writing, it was intended to be an expression of the American mind, and to give that expression the proper tone and spirit called for by the occasion.”—Thomas Jefferson

 

"Adore God. Reverence and cherish your parents. Love your neighbor as yourself, and your country more than yourself. Be just. Be true. Murmur not at the ways of Providence."—Thomas Jefferson (1825)

 

“The policy of the American government is to leave their citizens free, neither restraining nor aiding them in their pursuits.”—Thomas Jefferson

 

"The issue today is the same as it has been throughout all history, whether man shall be allowed to govern himself or be ruled by a small elite."—Thomas Jefferson

 

"One man with courage is a majority."—Thomas Jefferson

 

Thomas Jefferson portrait by Thomas Sully, 1821
commissioned by West Point faculty and cadets;
image from Wikipedia

"In questions of power, then, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution."—Thomas Jefferson

 

"A wise and frugal government which shall restrain men from injuring one another, which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government."—Thomas Jefferson (First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1801)

 

“The two enemies of the people are criminals and government, so let us tie the second down with the chains of the Constitution so the second will not become the legalized version of the first.”—Thomas Jefferson

 

“God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are a gift from God?”—Thomas Jefferson

 

Almighty God, Who has given us this good land for our heritage; We humbly beseech Thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of Thy favor and glad to do Thy will. Bless our land with honorable ministry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion, from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people, the multitude brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endow with Thy spirit of wisdom those whom in Thy name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that through obedience to Thy law, we may show forth Thy praise among the nations of the earth. In time of prosperity fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in Thee to fail; all of which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.—Thomas Jefferson (Prayer, March 4, 1801)

 

"Whensoever the General Government assumes undelegated powers, its acts are unauthoritative, void, and of no force"—Thomas Jefferson

 

“Congress has not unlimited powers to provide for the general welfare, but only those specifically enumerated.”—Thomas Jefferson

inside the Jefferson Memorial,
from a trip in 2014

 

“I predict future happiness for America if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.”—Thomas Jefferson

 

What country can preserve its liberty if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? —Thomas Jefferson (November 13, 1787)

 

"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."—Thomas Jefferson

 

“I have sworn, upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.”—Thomas Jefferson

 

“When once a republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil."—Thomas Jefferson

 

“The time to guard against corruption and tyranny is before they shall have gotten hold on us. It is better to keep the wolf out of the fold, than to trust to drawing his teeth and talons after he shall have entered.”—Thomas Jefferson (1781)

 

An honest man can feel no pleasure in the exercise of power over his fellow citizens.—Thomas Jefferson


inside the Jefferson Memorial,
 from a trip in 2014

 

"A question of some doubt might be raised...as to the rights and duties of society towards its members, infant and adult. Is it a right or a duty in society to take care of their infant members in opposition to the will of the parent? How far does this right and duty extend? To guard the life of the infant, his property, his instruction, his morals? The Roman father was supreme in all these; we draw the line, but where? Public sentiment does not seem to have traced it precisely. Nor is it necessary in the present case. It is better to tolerate the rare instance of a parent refusing to let his child be educated than to shock the common feelings and ideas by the forcible asportation and education of the infant against the will of the father."—Thomas Jefferson (1817, Bill for Establishing Elementary Schools, The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, edited by Albert Ellery Bergh)

 

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government."-- Thomas Jefferson (Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334)


The last hope of human liberty in this world 

rests in us.

—Thomas Jefferson, 1811

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