Person
Founding Father, U.S. president from 1801 to 1809 (1743–1826)
No public IJR answers mention Thomas Jefferson yet. As people ask about it and share their answers, they'll appear here.
“Christianity neither is, nor ever was, a part of the common law [this quote is referring to English Common Law].”
“Timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the tempestuous sea of liberty.”
“It has always been denied by the republican party in this country, that the Constitution had given the power of incorporation to Congress. On the establishment of the Bank of the United States, this was the great ground on which that establishment was combated; and the party prevailing supported it only on the argument of its being an incident to the power given them for raising money.”
“It should be remembered, as an axiom of eternal truth in politics, that whatever power in any government is independent, is absolute also; in theory only, at first, while the spirit of the people is up, but in practice, as fast as that relaxes. Independence can be trusted nowhere but with the people in mass. They are inherently independent of all but moral law.”
“The government of the United States have no idea of paying their debt in a depreciated medium, and... in the final liquidation of the payments which shall have been made, due regard will be had to an equitable allowance for the circumstance of depreciation.”
“Jefferson's objects have not fallen out of date. They are our own objects, if we be faithful to any ideals whatever; and the question we ask ourselves is not, How would Jefferson have pursued them in his day? but How shall we pursue them in ours? It is the spirit, not the tenets of the man by which he rules us from his urn.”
Quotes via Wikiquote (CC BY-SA), each with its original source.