A thousand years scarce serve to form a state;
An hour may lay it in the dust.

A thousand years scarce serve to form a state;
An hour may lay it in the dust.

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.

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.

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.

Yet if thou didst but know how little wit governs this mighty
universe.

Yet if thou didst but know how little wit governs this mighty
universe.

Well, will anybody deny now that the Government at Washington, as
regards its own people, is the strongest government read more

Well, will anybody deny now that the Government at Washington, as
regards its own people, is the strongest government in the world
at this hour? And for this simple reason, that it is based on
the will, and the good will, of an instructed people.

States are great engines moving slowly.

States are great engines moving slowly.

Every country has the government it deserves.

Every country has the government it deserves.

The primary function of the government is - and here I am quoting directly from the U.S. Constitution - "to read more

The primary function of the government is - and here I am quoting directly from the U.S. Constitution - "to spew out paper."