John Adams quotes - page 4

Be not intimidated... nor suffer yourselves to be wheedled out of your liberties by any pretense of politeness, delicacy, or decency. These, as they are often used, are but three different names for hypocrisy, chicanery and cowardice. (John Adams)
Without religion this world would be something not fit to be mentioned in polite company, I mean Hell. View quote
John Adams
Slavery in this Country I have seen hanging over it like a black cloud for half a century... View quote
John Adams
The preservation of the means of knowledge among the lowest ranks is of more importance to the public than all the property of all the rich men in the country. View quote
John Adams
Slavery is an evil of Colossal Magnitude. View quote
John Adams
I say RIGHTS, for such they have, undoubtedly, antecedent to all earthly government, - Rights, that cannot be repealed or restrained by human laws - Rights, derived from the great Legislator of the universe. View quote
John Adams
The judicial power ought to be distinct from both the legislative and executive, and independent upon both, that so it may be a check upon both, as both should be checks upon that. View quote
John Adams
Education makes a greater difference between man and man, than nature has made between man and brute. View quote
John Adams
The world grows more enlightened. Knowledge is more equally diffused. View quote
John Adams
The right of a nation to kill a tyrant, in cases of necessity, can no more be doubted, than to hang a robber, or kill a flea. But killing one tyrant only makes way for worse, unless the people have sense, spirit and honesty enough to establish and support a constitution guarded at all points against the tyranny of the one, the few, and the many. View quote
John Adams
Posterity! you will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom! I hope you will make a good use of it. If you do not, I shall repent in Heaven that I ever took half the pains to preserve it. (John Adams)
... I say, that Power must never be trusted without a check. View quote
John Adams
I must judge for myself, but how can I judge, how can any man judge, unless his mind has been opened and enlarged by reading. View quote
John Adams
The whole drama of the world is such tragedy that I am weary of the spectacle. View quote
John Adams
To believe all men honest is folly. To believe none is something worse. View quote
John Adams
If worthless men are sometimes at the head of affairs, it is, I believe, because worthless men are at the tail and the middle. View quote
John Adams
When legislature is corrupted, the people are undone. View quote
John Adams
The new Government has my best Wishes and most fervent Prayers, for its Success and Prosperity: but whether I shall have any Thing more to do with it, besides praying for it, depends on the future suffrages of Freemen. View quote
John Adams
I have come to the conclusion that one useless man is called a disgrace; that two are called a law firm; and that three or more become a Congress! View quote
John Adams
This book is a long conference of God, the angels, and Mahomet, which that false prophet very grossly invented; sometimes he introduceth God, who speaketh to him, and teacheth him his law, then an angel, among the prophets, and frequently maketh God to speak in the plural. ... Thou wilt wonder that such absurdities have infected the best part of the world, and wilt avouch, that the knowledge of what is contained in this book, will render that law contemptible ... View quote
John Adams
The Christian religion is, above all the religions that ever prevailed or existed in ancient or modern times, the religion of wisdom, virtue, equity, and humanity, let the blackguard Paine say what he will; it is resignation to God, it is goodness itself to man. (John Adams)
When it was first perceived, in early times, that no middle course for America remained between unlimited submission to a foreign legislature and a total independence of its claims, men of reflection were less apprehensive of danger from the formidable power of fleets and armies they must determine to resist than from those contests and dissensions which would certainly arise concerning the forms of government to be instituted over the whole and over the parts of this extensive country. View quote
John Adams
There are few people in this world with whom I can converse. View quote
John Adams
He began with an exordium, containing an apology for his resignation of the office of Advocate-General in the Court of Admiralty; and for his appearance in that cause, in opposition to the Crown, and in favor of the town of Boston, and the merchants of Boston and Salem. View quote
John Adams
There is, in the human Breast, a social Affection, which extends to our whole Species. View quote
John Adams