“Philosophy is common sense with big words.”

The purpose of separation of church and state is to keep forever from these shores the ceaseless strife that has soaked the soil of Europe with blood for centuries.

Religion flourishes in greater purity, without than with the aid of Government.

Ambition must be made to counteract ambition.

Let me recommend the best medicine in the world: a long journey, at a mild season, through a pleasant country, in easy stages.

The executive has no right, in any case, to decide the question, whether there is or is not cause for declaring war.

A popular government without popular information or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce, or a tragedy, or perhaps both.

A sincere and steadfast co-operation in promoting such a reconstruction of our political system as would provide for the permanent liberty and happiness of the United States.

What prudent merchant will hazard his fortunes in any new branch of commerce when he knows not that his plans may be rendered unlawful before they can be executed?

The internal effects of a mutable policy poisons the blessings of liberty itself.

Commercial shackles are generally unjust, oppressive, and impolitic.

What spectacle can be more edifying or more seasonable, than that of Liberty and Learning, each leaning on the other for their mutual and surest support?

The number, the industry, and the morality of the priesthood, and the devotion of the people have been manifestly increased by the total separation of the church from the state.

Where an excess of power prevails, property of no sort is duly respected. No man is safe in his opinions, his person, his faculties, or his possessions.

To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people, is a chimerical idea.

I entirely concur in the propriety of resorting to the sense in which the Constitution was accepted and ratified by the nation. In that sense alone it is the legitimate Constitution.

There is no maxim, in my opinion, which is more liable to be misapplied, and which, therefore, more needs elucidation, than the current one, that the interest of the majority is the political standard of right and wrong.

The world’s biggest power is the youth and beauty of a woman.

A happiness that is sought for ourselves alone can never be found: for a happiness that is diminished by being shared is not big enough to make us happy.

Dream the impossible. Know that you are born in this world to do something wonderful and unique; don’t let this opportunity pass by. Give yourself the freedom to dream and think big.

For me, it’s not about breaking big in Hollywood, but having interesting experiences.

Once the mind has been expanded by a big idea, it will never go back to its original state.

The war between my mind and my heart has been the biggest destruction of my peace.

The world’s most sensible person and the biggest idiot both stay within us. The worst part is, you can’t even tell who is who.

My biggest concern is always the students who are working toward a certain career – when they limit themselves to just that one option. They need to know that the world is huge – it’s an ocean, and there are so many options. It’s not the end of the world if they don’t get to pursue an apparent childhood dream.