No provision in our Constitution ought to be dearer to man than that which protects the rights of conscience against the enterprises of the civil authority.
Thomas Jefferson
Constitution, Conscience, Rights, Government, Religious Freedom
Thomas Jefferson’s Quotes On Topics
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More Thomas Jefferson Quotes
“Man is not made for the State but the State for man and it derives its just powers only from the consent of the governed.” Thomas Jefferson
State, Man, Consent, Governance, Political Philosophy
Thomas Jefferson State, Man, Consent, Governance, Political Philosophy“I love peace, and am anxious that we should give the world still another useful lesson, by showing to them other modes of punishing injuries than by war, which is as much a punishment to the punisher as to the sufferer.” Thomas Jefferson
Peace, Violence, Alternatives, War, Morality
Thomas Jefferson Peace, Violence, Alternatives, War, Morality“It is my principle that the will of the majority should always prevail.” Thomas Jefferson
Majority, Principles, Governance, Democracy, Rights
Thomas Jefferson Majority, Principles, Governance, Democracy, Rights“Let those flatter, who fear: it is not an American art. To give praise where it is not due, might be well from the venal, but would ill beseem those who are asserting the rights of human nature.” Thomas Jefferson
Flattery, Integrity, Rights, Authenticity, Human Nature
Thomas Jefferson Flattery, Integrity, Rights, Authenticity, Human Nature“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 rights of the individual.” Thomas Jefferson
Liberty, Rights, Law, Individuality, Freedom
Thomas Jefferson Liberty, Rights, Law, Individuality, Freedom“A Bill of Rights is what the people are entitled to against every government, and what no just government should refuse, or rest on inference.” Thomas Jefferson
Bill Of Rights, Entitlements, Government, Justice, Civil Liberties
Thomas Jefferson Bill Of Rights, Entitlements, Government, Justice, Civil Liberties“Educate and inform the whole mass of the people. Enable them to see that it is their interest to preserve peace and order, and they will preserve them.” Thomas Jefferson
Education, Information, Peace, Society, Civic Engagement
Thomas Jefferson Education, Information, Peace, Society, Civic Engagement“A walk about Paris will provide lessons in history, beauty, and in the point of Life.” Thomas Jefferson
Paris, Walking, Beauty, History, Exploration
Thomas Jefferson Paris, Walking, Beauty, History, Exploration“Those who labour in the earth are the chosen people of God, if ever he had a chosen, people, whose breasts he has made his peculiar deposit for substantial and genuine virtue.” Thomas Jefferson
Labor, Agriculture, Virtue, Faith, Society
Thomas Jefferson Labor, Agriculture, Virtue, Faith, Society“I know of no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them but to inform their discretion.” Thomas Jefferson
Powers, Society, People, Enlightenment, Responsibility
Thomas Jefferson Powers, Society, People, Enlightenment, Responsibility“How sublime to look down on the workhouse of nature, to see her clouds, hail, snow, rain, thunder, all fabricated at our feet!” Thomas Jefferson
Nature, Sublime, Wonder, Environment, Reflection
Thomas Jefferson Nature, Sublime, Wonder, Environment, Reflection“The policy of the American government is to leave their citizens free, neither restraining nor aiding them in their pursuits.” Thomas Jefferson
Policy, Freedom, Governance, Independence, Individualism
Thomas Jefferson Policy, Freedom, Governance, Independence, Individualism“The First Amendment has created a wall of separation between the church and the State. But that wall is one directional. It is to keep the government from running the Church. But it is not to keep Christian principles out of the government.” Thomas Jefferson
Religion, Government, Separation, Constitutional Interpretation, Religious Freedom
Thomas Jefferson Religion, Government, Separation, Constitutional Interpretation, Religious Freedom“Subject opinion to coercion: whom will you make your inquisitors? Fallible men; men governed by bad passions, by private as well as public reasons. And why subject it to coercion? To produce uniformity. But is uniformity of opinion desirable? No more than of face and stature.” Thomas Jefferson
Coercion, Opinion, Uniformity, Freedom, Public Discourse
Thomas Jefferson Coercion, Opinion, Uniformity, Freedom, Public Discourse“He does most in God's great world who does his best in his own little world.” Thomas Jefferson
Impact, Responsibility, Effort, Personal Influence, Moral Philosophy
Thomas Jefferson Impact, Responsibility, Effort, Personal Influence, Moral Philosophy“Certain teachings in the Bible are as diamonds in a dung-heap.” Thomas Jefferson
Bible, Critique, Value, Faith, Perspective
Thomas Jefferson Bible, Critique, Value, Faith, Perspective“Whenever you do a thing, act as if all the world were watching.” Thomas Jefferson
Integrity, Behavior, Accountability, Personal Conduct, Moral Philosophy
Thomas Jefferson Integrity, Behavior, Accountability, Personal Conduct, Moral Philosophy“Peace, commerce and honest friendship with all nations; entangling alliances with none.” Thomas Jefferson
Peace, Friendship, Commerce, Diplomacy, Foreign Policy
Thomas Jefferson Peace, Friendship, Commerce, Diplomacy, Foreign Policy