Must a government of necessity be too strong for the liberties of its people or too weak to maintain its read more

Must a government of necessity be too strong for the liberties of its people or too weak to maintain its own existence?

That government is best which governs the least, because its people discipline themselves.

That government is best which governs the least, because its people discipline themselves.

When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will
fall, one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in read more

When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will
fall, one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible
struggle.

I like to believe that people in the long run are going to do more to promote peace than our read more

I like to believe that people in the long run are going to do more to promote peace than our governments. Indeed, I think that people want peace so much that one of these days governments had better get out of the way and let them have it.

The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground.

The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground.

So long as governments set the example of killing their enemies, private individuals will occasionally kill theirs.

So long as governments set the example of killing their enemies, private individuals will occasionally kill theirs.

Congress is so strange. A man gets up to speak and says nothing. Nobody listens - and then everybody disagrees.

Congress is so strange. A man gets up to speak and says nothing. Nobody listens - and then everybody disagrees.

Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one.

Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one.

The single most exciting thing you encounter in government is competence, because it's so rare.

The single most exciting thing you encounter in government is competence, because it's so rare.