Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. read more

Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action.

Government, which does not and did not grant us our rights, must not now seek to deny them by using read more

Government, which does not and did not grant us our rights, must not now seek to deny them by using fear as its justification

The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people read more

The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government - lest it come to dominate our lives and interests.

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.]

Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one read more

Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except all those others that have been tried from time to time.

Governments last as long as the undertaxed can defend themselves against the overtaxed.

Governments last as long as the undertaxed can defend themselves against the overtaxed.

Oh, we are weary pilgrims; to this wilderness we bring
A Church without a bishop, a State without a read more

Oh, we are weary pilgrims; to this wilderness we bring
A Church without a bishop, a State without a King.

If you want to understand your government, don't begin by reading the Constitution. (It conveys precious little of the flavor read more

If you want to understand your government, don't begin by reading the Constitution. (It conveys precious little of the flavor of today's statecraft.) Instead, read selected portions of the Washington telephone directory containing listings for all the organizations with titles beginning with the word National.

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.