I'm very fond of these quotes from Benjamin Franklin, especially the first one....but all are true, especially today...
Outside Independence Hall when
the Constitutional Convention of 1787 ended,
Mrs. Powel of Philadelphia asked Benjamin Franklin,
"Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?"
With no hesitation whatsoever, Franklin responded,
"A republic, if you can keep it."
When the people find they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.
We must all hang together, or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately. -- July 4th, 1776
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -- Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759.
It would be a hard government that should tax its people one-tenth part of their income. -- Poor Richard's Almanac, 1758
I am for doing good to the poor, but I differ in opinion of the means. I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it.
Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech.
Without freedom of thought there can be no such thing as wisdom; and no such thing as public liberty, without freedom of speech.
In free governments, the rulers are the servants and the people their superiors and sovereigns.
The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself.
Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become more corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters. |
