| Presidential "Government" Quotes |
| Have you ever wondered what the Founding fathers intended for the government of the United States to be, and the role it, and the citizens should play. Read for yourself, in their own words... |
"Government is not reason; it is not eloquence; it is force! Like fire, it is a
dangerous servant and a fearful master." -George Washington
"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is
wholly inadequate to the government of any other." - John Quincy Adams
"The happiness of society is the end of government." - John Quincy Adams
"All the perplexities, confusion and distress in America arise, not from defects in
their Constitution or Confederation, not from want of honor or virtue, so much as
from the downright ignorance of the nature of coin, credit and circulation." - John
Quincy Adams
"America, with the same voice which spoke herself into existence as a nation,
proclaimed to mankind the inextinguishable rights of human nature, and the only
lawful foundations of government." - John Quincy Adams
"Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the
sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost." - John Quincy Adams
"That government is best which governs the least, because its people
discipline themselves." - Thomas Jefferson
No government ought to be without censors & where the press is free, no one
ever will. - Thomas Jefferson, letter to George Washington, September 9, 1792
I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than
to those attending too small a degree of it. - Thomas Jefferson, to Archibald
Stuart, 1791
The will of the people is the only legitimate foundation of any government, and to
protect its free expression should be our first object. - Thomas Jefferson
Never spend your money before you have it. - Thomas Jefferson
"The problem to be solved is, not what form of government is perfect, but which of
the forms is least imperfect." - James Madison
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of the freedom of
the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than
by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
"A decent and manly examination of the acts of the Government should be not
only tolerated, but encouraged." - William Henry Harrison
"But I contend that the strongest of all governments is that which is most free."
- William Henry Harrison
"Public opinion: May it always perform one of its appropriate offices, by teaching
the public functionaries of the State and of the Federal Government, that neither
shall assume the exercise of powers entrusted by the Constitution to the other."
- James Knox Polk
"It is not strange . . . to mistake change for progress." - Millard Fillmore
"To avoid entangling alliances has been a maxim of our policy ever since the days
of Washington, and its wisdoms no one will attempt to dispute." - James Buchanan
"The goal to strive for is a poor government but a rich people." - Andrew Johnson
"He serves his party best who serves the country best." - Rutherford B Hayes
"We can not overestimate the fervent love of liberty, the intelligent courage, and
the sum of common sense with which our fathers made the great experiment of
self-government." - James A Garfield
"It is the responsibility of the citizens to support their government. It is not the
responsibility of the government to support its citizens." - S Grover Cleveland
"No other people have a government more worthy of their respect and love or a
land so magnificent in extent, so pleasant to look upon, and so full of generous
suggestion to enterprise and labor." - Benjamin Harrison
"Unlike any other nation, here the people rule, and their will is the supreme law. It
is sometimes sneeringly said by those who do not like free government, that here
we count heads. True, heads are counted, but brains also . . ." -William Mckinley
"Character is the only secure foundation of the state." - J Calvin Coolidge
"You can not stop the spread of an idea by passing a law against it."
- Harry S Truman
Whenever you have an efficient government you have a dictatorship.
Harry S Truman (1884 - 1972), Lecture at Columbia University, 28 Apr. 1959
"Truth is the glue that holds governments together. Compromise is the oil that
makes governments go." - Gerald Ford
"A government big enough to give you everything you want is a
government big enough to take from you everything you have."
- Gerald Ford
"We are a nation that has a government—not the other way around. And that
makes us special among the nations of the earth." -Ronald Reagan
dangerous servant and a fearful master." -George Washington
"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is
wholly inadequate to the government of any other." - John Quincy Adams
"The happiness of society is the end of government." - John Quincy Adams
"All the perplexities, confusion and distress in America arise, not from defects in
their Constitution or Confederation, not from want of honor or virtue, so much as
from the downright ignorance of the nature of coin, credit and circulation." - John
Quincy Adams
"America, with the same voice which spoke herself into existence as a nation,
proclaimed to mankind the inextinguishable rights of human nature, and the only
lawful foundations of government." - John Quincy Adams
"Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the
sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost." - John Quincy Adams
"That government is best which governs the least, because its people
discipline themselves." - Thomas Jefferson
No government ought to be without censors & where the press is free, no one
ever will. - Thomas Jefferson, letter to George Washington, September 9, 1792
I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than
to those attending too small a degree of it. - Thomas Jefferson, to Archibald
Stuart, 1791
The will of the people is the only legitimate foundation of any government, and to
protect its free expression should be our first object. - Thomas Jefferson
Never spend your money before you have it. - Thomas Jefferson
"The problem to be solved is, not what form of government is perfect, but which of
the forms is least imperfect." - James Madison
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of the freedom of
the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than
by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
"A decent and manly examination of the acts of the Government should be not
only tolerated, but encouraged." - William Henry Harrison
"But I contend that the strongest of all governments is that which is most free."
- William Henry Harrison
"Public opinion: May it always perform one of its appropriate offices, by teaching
the public functionaries of the State and of the Federal Government, that neither
shall assume the exercise of powers entrusted by the Constitution to the other."
- James Knox Polk
"It is not strange . . . to mistake change for progress." - Millard Fillmore
"To avoid entangling alliances has been a maxim of our policy ever since the days
of Washington, and its wisdoms no one will attempt to dispute." - James Buchanan
"The goal to strive for is a poor government but a rich people." - Andrew Johnson
"He serves his party best who serves the country best." - Rutherford B Hayes
"We can not overestimate the fervent love of liberty, the intelligent courage, and
the sum of common sense with which our fathers made the great experiment of
self-government." - James A Garfield
"It is the responsibility of the citizens to support their government. It is not the
responsibility of the government to support its citizens." - S Grover Cleveland
"No other people have a government more worthy of their respect and love or a
land so magnificent in extent, so pleasant to look upon, and so full of generous
suggestion to enterprise and labor." - Benjamin Harrison
"Unlike any other nation, here the people rule, and their will is the supreme law. It
is sometimes sneeringly said by those who do not like free government, that here
we count heads. True, heads are counted, but brains also . . ." -William Mckinley
"Character is the only secure foundation of the state." - J Calvin Coolidge
"You can not stop the spread of an idea by passing a law against it."
- Harry S Truman
Whenever you have an efficient government you have a dictatorship.
Harry S Truman (1884 - 1972), Lecture at Columbia University, 28 Apr. 1959
"Truth is the glue that holds governments together. Compromise is the oil that
makes governments go." - Gerald Ford
"A government big enough to give you everything you want is a
government big enough to take from you everything you have."
- Gerald Ford
"We are a nation that has a government—not the other way around. And that
makes us special among the nations of the earth." -Ronald Reagan
"All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good
conscience to remain silent." - Thomas Jefferson
I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more
I have of it. - Thomas Jefferson
"The truth is that all men having power ought to be mistrusted."
- James Madison
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of the
freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of
those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations."
- James Madison
"May our country be always successful, but whether successful
or otherwise, always right." - John Quincy Adams
Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a
man's character, give him power. - Abraham Lincoln
Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong
impulse to see it tried on him personally. - Abraham Lincoln
That some should be rich, shows that others may become
rich, and, hence, is just encouragement to industry and
enterprise. - Abraham Lincoln
"An honorable defeat is better than a dishonorable victory."
- Millard Fillmore
"Whoever controls the volume of money in any country is
absolute master of all industry and commerce." - James A
Garfield
"Above all, tell the truth." - S Grover Cleveland
Above all, we must realize that no arsenal, or no weapon in the
arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral
courage of free men and women. It is a weapon our adversaries
in today's world do not have. - Ronald Reagan
conscience to remain silent." - Thomas Jefferson
I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more
I have of it. - Thomas Jefferson
"The truth is that all men having power ought to be mistrusted."
- James Madison
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of the
freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of
those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations."
- James Madison
"May our country be always successful, but whether successful
or otherwise, always right." - John Quincy Adams
Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a
man's character, give him power. - Abraham Lincoln
Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong
impulse to see it tried on him personally. - Abraham Lincoln
That some should be rich, shows that others may become
rich, and, hence, is just encouragement to industry and
enterprise. - Abraham Lincoln
"An honorable defeat is better than a dishonorable victory."
- Millard Fillmore
"Whoever controls the volume of money in any country is
absolute master of all industry and commerce." - James A
Garfield
"Above all, tell the truth." - S Grover Cleveland
Above all, we must realize that no arsenal, or no weapon in the
arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral
courage of free men and women. It is a weapon our adversaries
in today's world do not have. - Ronald Reagan
"Guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism." - George
Washington
"Happiness and moral duty are inseparably connected." - George
Washington
"Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may
cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost." - John
Quincy Adams
"Liberty cannot be preserved without a general knowledge among
the people." - John Adams
The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on
certain occasions, that I wish it always to be kept alive.
- Thomas Jefferson
The will of the people is the only legitimate foundation of any
government, and to protect its free expression should be our first
object. - Thomas Jefferson
The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man
who reads nothing but newspapers. - Thomas Jefferson
We in America do not have government by the majority. We
have government by the majority who participate. - Thomas
Jefferson
I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too
much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it.
- Thomas Jefferson, to Archibald Stuart, 1791
"The individual who refuses to defend his rights when
called by his government, deserves to be a slave, and must
be punished as an enemy of his country and friend to her
foe." - Andrew Jackson
The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not to
deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just.
- Abraham Lincoln
"The man who can look upon a crisis without being willing to offer
himself upon the altar of his country is not for public trust." - Millard
Fillmore
"A man is known by the company he keeps, and also by the
company from which he is kept out." - S Grover Cleveland
"It is the responsibility of the citizens to support their government. It
is not the responsibility of the government to support its citizens."
- S Grover Cleveland
"A splendid storehouse of integrity and freedom has been
bequeathed to us by our forefathers. In this day of confusion, of
peril to liberty, our high duty is to see that this storehouse is not
robbed of its contents." - Herbert Hoover
"You can not stop the spread of an idea by passing a law
against it." - Harry S Truman
"We need not fear the expression of ideas—we do need to fear
their suppression." - Harry S Truman
"There is nothing wrong with America that the faith, love of
freedom, intelligence and energy of her citizens cannot cure."
- Dwight D Eisenhower
"And so my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for
you; ask what you can do for your country." - John F Kennedy
"If we cannot end now our differences, at least we can help make
the world safe for diversity." - John F Kennedy
"A man who has never lost himself in a cause bigger than himself
has missed one of life's mountaintop experiences. Only in losing
himself does he find himself." - Richard M Nixon
"What kind of nation we will be, what kind of world we will live in,
whether we shape the future in the image of our hopes, is ours to
determine by our actions and our choices." - Richard M Nixon
"Always give your best, never get discouraged, never be petty;
always remember, others may hate you. Those who hate you don't
win unless you hate them. And then you destroy yourself."
- Richard M Nixon
"A government big enough to give you everything you want is a
government big enough to take from you everything you have."
- Gerald Ford
"We must adjust to changing times and still hold to unchanging
principles." - Jimmy Carter
"Recognizing and confronting our history is important.
Transcending our history is essential. We are not limited by what
we have done, or what we have left undone. We are limited only by
what we are willing to do." - George W Bush
"If you don't feel something strongly you're not going to achieve."
-George W Bush
Washington
"Happiness and moral duty are inseparably connected." - George
Washington
"Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may
cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost." - John
Quincy Adams
"Liberty cannot be preserved without a general knowledge among
the people." - John Adams
The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on
certain occasions, that I wish it always to be kept alive.
- Thomas Jefferson
The will of the people is the only legitimate foundation of any
government, and to protect its free expression should be our first
object. - Thomas Jefferson
The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man
who reads nothing but newspapers. - Thomas Jefferson
We in America do not have government by the majority. We
have government by the majority who participate. - Thomas
Jefferson
I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too
much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it.
- Thomas Jefferson, to Archibald Stuart, 1791
"The individual who refuses to defend his rights when
called by his government, deserves to be a slave, and must
be punished as an enemy of his country and friend to her
foe." - Andrew Jackson
The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not to
deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just.
- Abraham Lincoln
"The man who can look upon a crisis without being willing to offer
himself upon the altar of his country is not for public trust." - Millard
Fillmore
"A man is known by the company he keeps, and also by the
company from which he is kept out." - S Grover Cleveland
"It is the responsibility of the citizens to support their government. It
is not the responsibility of the government to support its citizens."
- S Grover Cleveland
"A splendid storehouse of integrity and freedom has been
bequeathed to us by our forefathers. In this day of confusion, of
peril to liberty, our high duty is to see that this storehouse is not
robbed of its contents." - Herbert Hoover
"You can not stop the spread of an idea by passing a law
against it." - Harry S Truman
"We need not fear the expression of ideas—we do need to fear
their suppression." - Harry S Truman
"There is nothing wrong with America that the faith, love of
freedom, intelligence and energy of her citizens cannot cure."
- Dwight D Eisenhower
"And so my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for
you; ask what you can do for your country." - John F Kennedy
"If we cannot end now our differences, at least we can help make
the world safe for diversity." - John F Kennedy
"A man who has never lost himself in a cause bigger than himself
has missed one of life's mountaintop experiences. Only in losing
himself does he find himself." - Richard M Nixon
"What kind of nation we will be, what kind of world we will live in,
whether we shape the future in the image of our hopes, is ours to
determine by our actions and our choices." - Richard M Nixon
"Always give your best, never get discouraged, never be petty;
always remember, others may hate you. Those who hate you don't
win unless you hate them. And then you destroy yourself."
- Richard M Nixon
"A government big enough to give you everything you want is a
government big enough to take from you everything you have."
- Gerald Ford
"We must adjust to changing times and still hold to unchanging
principles." - Jimmy Carter
"Recognizing and confronting our history is important.
Transcending our history is essential. We are not limited by what
we have done, or what we have left undone. We are limited only by
what we are willing to do." - George W Bush
"If you don't feel something strongly you're not going to achieve."
-George W Bush
| (Sources for quotes come from: Infoplease.com; equotes.com; TheQuotationsPage) |
| "A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine." - Thomas Jefferson |
| Presidents on Government |
| Presidents on the Country |
| Presidents on Citizen Responsibility |
Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still,
to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment. - Benjamin Franklin
If liberty and equality, as is thought by some, are chiefly to be found in democracy,
they will be best attained when all persons alike share in the government to the
utmost. - Aristotle (384 BC - 322 BC)
Men decide far more problems by hate, love, lust, rage, sorrow, joy, hope, fear,
illusion, or some other inward emotion, than by reality, authority, any legal standard,
judicial precedent, or statute. - Cicero
The evil implanted in man by nature spreads so imperceptibly, when the habit of
wrong-doing is unchecked, that he himself can set no limit to his shamelessness.
- Cicero
Do not do to others what angers you if done to you by others. - Socrates
The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men.
- Plato
Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to
say something. - Plato
The partisan, when he is engaged in a dispute, cares nothing about the rights of
the question, but is anxious only to convince his hearers of his own assertions.
- Plato, Dialogues, Phaedo
Mankind censure injustice fearing that they may be the victims of it, and not
because they shrink from committing it. - Plato, The Republic
When there is an income tax, the just man will pay more and the unjust less on the
same amount of income. - Plato, The Republic
to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment. - Benjamin Franklin
If liberty and equality, as is thought by some, are chiefly to be found in democracy,
they will be best attained when all persons alike share in the government to the
utmost. - Aristotle (384 BC - 322 BC)
Men decide far more problems by hate, love, lust, rage, sorrow, joy, hope, fear,
illusion, or some other inward emotion, than by reality, authority, any legal standard,
judicial precedent, or statute. - Cicero
The evil implanted in man by nature spreads so imperceptibly, when the habit of
wrong-doing is unchecked, that he himself can set no limit to his shamelessness.
- Cicero
Do not do to others what angers you if done to you by others. - Socrates
The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men.
- Plato
Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to
say something. - Plato
The partisan, when he is engaged in a dispute, cares nothing about the rights of
the question, but is anxious only to convince his hearers of his own assertions.
- Plato, Dialogues, Phaedo
Mankind censure injustice fearing that they may be the victims of it, and not
because they shrink from committing it. - Plato, The Republic
When there is an income tax, the just man will pay more and the unjust less on the
same amount of income. - Plato, The Republic
An honest man can feel no pleasure in the exercise of power over his fellow
citizens. - Thomas Jefferson, letter to John Melish, January 13, 1813
I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing
armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their
currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will
grow up around [the banks] will deprive the people of all property until their
children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered. The issuing
power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it
properly belongs. - Thomas Jefferson, (Attributed)
Discourage litigation. Persuade your neighbors to compromise whenever you can.
As a peacemaker the lawyer has superior opportunity of being a good man. There
will still be business enough. - Abraham Lincoln
It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues.
- Abraham Lincoln
You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today. - Abraham
Lincoln
Truth is generally the best vindication against slander. - Abraham Lincoln, letter to
Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, July 18, 1864
citizens. - Thomas Jefferson, letter to John Melish, January 13, 1813
I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing
armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their
currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will
grow up around [the banks] will deprive the people of all property until their
children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered. The issuing
power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it
properly belongs. - Thomas Jefferson, (Attributed)
Discourage litigation. Persuade your neighbors to compromise whenever you can.
As a peacemaker the lawyer has superior opportunity of being a good man. There
will still be business enough. - Abraham Lincoln
It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues.
- Abraham Lincoln
You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today. - Abraham
Lincoln
Truth is generally the best vindication against slander. - Abraham Lincoln, letter to
Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, July 18, 1864
| I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crises. The great point is to bring them the real facts. - Abraham Lincoln |
| The people have always some champion whom they set over them and nurse into greatness...This and no other is the root from which a tyrant springs; when he first appears he is a protector. - Plato, The Republic "All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent." - Thomas Jefferson |
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