Everybody wants to eat at the government's table, but nobody wants to do the dishes.

Everybody wants to eat at the government's table, but nobody wants to do the dishes.

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.

I think we have more machinery of government than is necessary, too many parasites living on the labour of the read more

I think we have more machinery of government than is necessary, too many parasites living on the labour of the industrious.

"Whatever is, is not," is the maxim of the anarchist, as often as
anything comes across him in the read more

"Whatever is, is not," is the maxim of the anarchist, as often as
anything comes across him in the shape of a law which he happens
not to like.

Our political institutions work remarkably well. They are designed to clang against each other. The noise is democracy at work.

Our political institutions work remarkably well. They are designed to clang against each other. The noise is democracy at work.

Our government is the potent, the omnipresent teacher. For good
or for ill, it teaches the whole people by read more

Our government is the potent, the omnipresent teacher. For good
or for ill, it teaches the whole people by its example. Crime is
contagious. If the government becomes a law-breaker, it breeds
contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto
himself; it invites anarchy.

So that every wand or staff of empire is forsooth curved at top.
[Lat., Adeo ut omnes imperii virga read more

So that every wand or staff of empire is forsooth curved at top.
[Lat., Adeo ut omnes imperii virga sive bacillum vere superius
inflexum sit.]

A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.

A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.

When I am abroad, I always make it a rule to never criticize or attack the government of my own read more

When I am abroad, I always make it a rule to never criticize or attack the government of my own country. I make up for lost time when I come home.