“A government is like fire, a handy servant, but a dangerous master”
87 quotes · page 2 of 5
“A government is like fire, a handy servant, but a dangerous master”
“Politics are almost as exciting as war and quite as dangerous. In war you can only be killed once, but in politics - many times”
“Taxes are the price that we pay for a civilized society”
“Life, liberty, and property do not exist because men have made laws. On the contrary, it was the fact that life, liberty, and property existed beforehand that caused men to make laws in the first place.”
“The best government is a benevolent tyranny tempered by an occasional assassination. ”
“Power is action; the electoral principle is discussion. No political action is possible when discussion is permanently established.”
“Justice and power must be brought together, so that whatever is just may be powerful, and whatever is powerful may be just.”
“Peace and friendship with all mankind is our wisest policy, and I wish we may be permitted to pursue it”
“Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost”
“Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives”
“Democracy is when the indigent, and not the men of property, are the rulers”
“He too serves a certain purpose who only stands and cheers”
“I always voted at my party's call, and I never thought of thinking for myself at all.”
“I have no ambition to govern men; it is a painful and thankless office”
“If nominated, I will not run; if elected, I will not serve”
“If you have ten thousand regulations you destroy all respect for the law ”
“In politics nothing is contemptible”
“Liberalism is trust of the people tempered by prudence. Conservatism is distrust of the people tempered by fear”
“One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors”
“Politicians also have no leisure, because they are always aiming at something beyond political life itself, power and glory, or happiness”