I have never been able to conceive how any rational being could propose happiness to himself from the exercise of power over others.-- Thomas Jefferson

...And among these rights are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness.-- Thomas Jefferson

Enlighten the people generally, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like spirits at the dawn of day.-- Thomas Jefferson

He [King George III] has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.-- Thomas Jefferson

I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.-- Thomas Jefferson

I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.-- Thomas Jefferson

It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself.-- Thomas Jefferson

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.-- Thomas Jefferson

Man once surrendering his reason, has no remaining guard against absurdities the most monstrous, and like a ship without rudder, is the sport of every wind.-- Thomas Jefferson

Most bad government comes from too much government-- Thomas Jefferson

The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods, or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.-- Thomas Jefferson

The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.-- Thomas Jefferson

They [the clergy] believe that any portion of power confided to me, will be exerted in opposition of their schemes. And they believe rightly: for I have sworn upon the altar of god eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.-- Thomas Jefferson

We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.-- Thomas Jefferson

The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.-- Thomas Jefferson

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

In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.-- Thomas Jefferson

Determine never to be idle...It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing.-- Thomas Jefferson

No Free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms.-- Thomas Jefferson

Were we directed from Washington when to sow, and when to reap, we should soon want bread.-- Thomas Jefferson

What county can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from time to time that its people preserve the spirit of resistance?-- Thomas Jefferson

Congress has not unlimited powers to provide for the general welfare, but only those specifically enumerated. -- Thomas Jefferson

And the day will come, when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the Supreme Being as His Father, in the womb of a virgin, will be classed with the fable of the generation of Minerva, in the brain of Jupiter. -- Thomas Jefferson

If the obstacles of bigotry and priestcraft can be surmounted, we may hope that common sense will suffice to do everything else. -- Thomas Jefferson

In every country and in every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty. He is always in alliance with the despot... -- Thomas Jefferson

Shake off all the fears of servile prejudices, under which weak minds are serviley crouched. Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call on her tribunal for every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a God, because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason than that of blind faith. -- Thomas Jefferson

We are not afraid to follow truth wherever it may lead, nor to tolerate any error so long as reason is left free to combat it. -- Thomas Jefferson

We are firmly convinced, and we act on that conviction, that with nations as with individuals, our interests soundly calculated will ever be found inseparable from our moral duties. -- Thomas Jefferson

Life is of no value but as it brings us gratifications. Among the most valuable of these is rational society. It informs the mind, sweetens the temper, cheers our spirits, and promotes health. -- Thomas Jefferson

This institution will be based on the illimitable freedom of the human mind. For here, we are not afraid to follow truth where it may lead, nor to tolerate error so long as reason is free to combat it.-- Thomas Jefferson

On slavery: "I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that his justice cannot sleep forever. Commerce between master & slave is despotism. Nothing is more certainly written in the book of fate than that these people are to be free.-- Thomas Jefferson

Our civil rights have no dependence on our religious opinions, more than on our opinions in physics and geometry....The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.-- Thomas Jefferson

Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.-- Thomas Jefferson