Memoirs, Correspondence, and Private Papers of Thomas Jefferson: Late President of the United States, Volume 2H. Colburn and R. Bentley, 1829 |
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Adams affairs Algiers America Arret Assemblée des Notables assured bed of justice Bourdeaux Calonnes CHIG commerce Congress constitution consul copy corn Count court DEAR SIR debt declaration desire dispositions duty England esteem and respect Europe favor Fayette fishery France friend and servant furnish Genoa give hand happy Holland honor hope humble servant hundred inclose interest JEFFERSON JOHN JAY King of Prussia la Fayette laws letter liberty livres London maize Marquis Marseilles ment merchants minister Monsieur months Montmorin nation Necker never obedient object occasion olives Paris parliament peace perfect esteem person ports pounds present principal probably proposed received render rice sentiments sincere esteem sous spermaceti suppose thing thousand Tiers Etat tion toises treaty trees UNIV UNIV vessels vines vote whale oil whole wine wish write
Popular passages
Page 85 - I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical.
Page 276 - When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become corrupt as in Europe, and go to eating one another as they do there.
Page 200 - But with all the imperfections of our present government, it is without comparison the best existing, or that ever did exist.
Page 267 - What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Page 273 - Let me add that a bill of rights is what the people are entitled to against every government on earth, general or particular, and what no just government should refuse, or rest on inferences.
Page 274 - Smaller objections are, the appeals on matters of fact as well as laws; and the binding all persons, legislative, executive, and judiciary by oath, to maintain that constitution. I do not pretend to decide, what would be the best method of procuring the establishment of the manifold good things in this constitution, and of getting rid of the bad. Whether by adopting it, in hopes of future amendment; or after it...
Page 83 - The basis of our governments being the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep that right; and were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.
Page 273 - ... opposed by strong inferences from the body of the instrument, as well as from the omission of the clause of our present confederation which had declared that in express terms.
Page 292 - You know that nobody wishes more ardently to see an abolition, not only of the trade, but of the condition of slavery ; and certainly nobody will be more willing to encounter every sacrifice for that object.
Page 45 - Preach, my dear Sir, a crusade against ignorance. Establish and improve the law for educating the common people. Let our countrymen know that the people alone can protect us against these evils, and that the tax which will be paid for this purpose is not more than the thousandth part of what will be paid to kings, priests, and nobles, who will rise up among us if we leave the people in ignorance.