“Men are reasoning rather than reasonable animals.”

In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place, oblige it to control itself.

A dangerous ambition more often lurks behind the specious mask of zeal for the rights of the people, than under the forbidding appearance of zeal for the firmness and efficiency of Government.

If men were angels, no government would be necessary.

I never expect a perfect work from an imperfect man.

The masses are asses.

Have we not already seen enough of the fallacy and extravagance of those idle theories which have amused us with promises of an exemption from the imperfections, weaknesses and evils incident to society in every shape?

A well adjusted person is one who makes the same mistake twice without getting nervous.

The pains taken to preserve peace include a proportional responsibility that equal pains be taken to be prepared for war.

In the general course of human nature, A power over a man’s subsistence amounts to a power over his will.

The art of reading is to skip judiciously.

A national debt, if it is not excessive, will be to us a national blessing.

The government is frequently and aptly classed under two descriptions – a government of force, and a government of laws; the first is the definition of despotism- the last, of liberty.

If the sword of oppression be permitted to lop off one limb without opposition, reiterated strokes will soon dismember the whole body.

Men often oppose a thing merely because they have had no agency in planning it, or because it may have been planned by those whom they dislike.

A strong body makes the mind strong, I advise the gun. While this gives moderate exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise, and independence to the mind.

The constitution shall never be construed, to prevent the people of the United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms.

Japan is in the process of regaining this animal spirit.

To my mind, the life of a lamb is no less precious than that of a human being.

Sympathy beyond the confines of man, that is, humanity to the lower animals, seems to be one of the latest moral acquisitions.

What I really wanted was to travel and see all the different animals that were on the verge of extinction.

The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.

Animals, whom we have made our slaves, we do not like to consider our equal.

Man is a goal-seeking animal. His life only has meaning if he is reaching out and striving for his goals.

Some people talk to animals. Not many listen though. That’s the problem.