“The strength and power of despotism consists wholly in the fear of resistance.”

The real man smiles in trouble, gathers strength from distress, and grows brave by reflection.

The trade of governing has always been monopolized by the most ignorant and the most rascally individuals of mankind.

Virtue is not hereditary.

The greatest tyrannies are always perpetuated in the name of the noblest causes.

Some people can be reasoned into sense, and others must be shocked into it.

A body of men holding themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted by anybody.

It is easy to see that when republican virtue fails, slavery ensues.

Where knowledge is a duty, ignorance is a crime.

The mind once enlightened cannot again become dark.

Character is much easier kept than recovered.

Taxes were not raised to carry on wars, but that wars were raised to carry on taxes.

Government without a constitution, is a power without a right.

If those to whom power is delegated do well, they will be respected; if not, they will be despised.

If I do not believe as you believe, it proves that you do not believe as I believe, and that is all that it proves.

We have it in our power to begin the world over again.

The right of voting for representatives , is the primary right by which other rights are protected.

People are good. No matter what. Beneath the rage and fear lies a wounded heart. We must do what we can do to heal it.

Remember that everyone you meet is afraid of something, loves something and has lost something.

A thing may be dreaded as long as it has not overtaken you.

Fear’s the only obstacle that gets in the way of doing what we love. Fear holds us back from living the lives we’re made to live.

I need to remind myself all the time that being afraid of things going wrong, is not the way to make things right. All fear has ever done is try destroy any existing hope I have.

Death does not trouble me. I have no fear of supernatural punishments, of course, nor could I enjoy an eternal life in which there would be nothing left for me to do, the task of living having been accomplished.

The greatest opportunities in life come with fear and risk.

I’ve spent a lot of time holding onto things and people that brought me misery because I was afraid of the void that may be there once I let go. I know now my voids were just as illusionary as the fear and insecurities that created them.