Intent of Parties

"The first and fundamental rule in the interpretation of all instruments is to construe them according to the sense of the terms and the intention of the parties."

Justice Joseph Story

The Coming Election

"No morn ever dawned more favorable than ours did; and no day was ever more clouded than the present! Wisdom, and good examples are necessary at this time to rescue the political machine from the impending storm."

George Washington

Foundations

"Fear is the foundation of most governments; but it is so sordid and brutal a passion, and renders men in whose breasts it predominates so stupid and miserable, that Americans will not be likely to approve of any political institution which is founded on it."
John Adams (Thoughts on Government, 1776)

Equal Rights

"Of liberty I would say that, in the whole plenitude of its extent, it is unobstructed action according to our will. But rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add ‘within the limits of the law,’ because law is often but the tyrant’s will, and always so when it violates the right of an individual.”

~ Thomas Jefferson to Isaac H. Tiffany, 1819

The Broadest Foundation for Happiness

“When we practised by necessity the maxim of buying nothing but what we have money in our pockets to pay for lays the broadest foundation for happiness.”

Thomas Jefferson, letter to Mr. Skipwith, July 28, 1787

The Enemy

"War is when the government tells you who the bad guy is.
revolution is when you decide that for yourself.”

Benjamin Franklin

Education

"On education all our lives depend/ and few to that, too few, with care attend."

Benjamin Franklin "Poor Richard's Almanack" 1748

Preserving Liberty

"Liberty cannot be preserved without general knowledge among people."

John Adams