The real fabric of American society is not all those flags you see on people's cars...it's in the Bill of Rights and in our constitutional form of government. John Adams More Quotes by John Adams More Quotes From John Adams Historically, usury was defined as any interest whatever on an unproductive loan.Our whole banking system I have ever abhorred, I continue to abhor, and I shall die abhorring. John Adams usury loan banking We may... affirm that the balance of power in a society accompanies the balance of property in land. The only possible way, then, of preserving the balance of power on the side of liberty and public virtue is to make the acquisition of land easy to every member of society; to make a division of the land into small quantities, so that the multitude may be possessed of landed estates. John Adams balance liberty land The idea of infidelity [a disbelief in the inspiration of the Scriptures or the divine origin of Christianity] cannot be treated with too much resentment or too much horror. The man who can think of it with patience is a traitor in his heart and ought to be execrated [denounced] as one who adds the deepest hypocrisy to the blackest treason. John Adams inspiration heart men I consider a decent respect for Christianity among the best recommendations for public service. John Adams public-service presidential christianity I must not write a word to you about politics, because you are a woman. John Adams politics political writing One sailor will do us more good than two soldiers. John Adams soldier sailor two We should begin by setting conscience free. When all men of all religions shall enjoy equal liberty, property, and an equal chance for honors and power we may expect that improvements will be made in the human character and the state of society. John Adams religious character father Can a free government possibly exist with the Roman Catholic religion? John Adams anti-religion catholic-religion government As to the history of the revolution, my ideas may be peculiar, perhaps singular. What do we mean by the revolution? The war? That was no part of the revolution; it was only an effect and consequence of it. The revolution was in the minds of the people, and this was effected from 1760 to 1775, in the course of fifteen years, before a drop of blood was shed at Lexington. John Adams war mean ideas I shall have the liberty to think for myself. John Adams liberty thinking The consequences arising from the continual accumulation of public debts in other countries ought to admonish us to prevent their growth in our own. John Adams growth government country The whole drama of the world is such tragedy that I am weary of the spectacle. John Adams tragedy drama world The true source of our sufferings has been our timidity. John Adams dissertation source suffering When public virtue is gone, when the national spirit is fled the republic is lost in essence, though it may still exist in form John Adams republic essence gone Have you considered that system of holy lies and pious frauds that has raged and triumphed for 1,500 years? John Adams founding-fathers-religion lying years I do not like the reappearance of the Jesuits.... Shall we not have regular swarms of them here, in as many disguises as only a king of the gipsies can assume, dressed as printers, publishers, writers and schoolmasters? If ever there was a body of men who merited damnation on earth and in Hell, it is this society of Loyola's. Nevertheless, we are compelled by our system of religious toleration to offer them an asylum. John Adams religious kings men A representative assembly, although extremely well qualified, and absolutely necessary, as a branch of the legislative, is unfit to exercise the executive power, for want of two essential properties, secrecy and dispatch. John Adams essentials exercise two The human understanding is a revelation from its maker, which can never be disputed or doubted. There can be no scepticism, Pyrrhonism, or incredulity or infidelity here. No prophecies, no miracles are necessary to prove this celestical communication. This revelation has made it certain that two and one make three, and that one is not three nor can three be one. We can never be so certain of any prophecy, or the fulfilment of any prophecy, or of any miracle, or the design of any miracle, as we are from the revelation of nature, that is, nature's God, that two and two are equal to four. John Adams communication miracle two Nip the shoots of arbitrary power in the bud, is the only maxim which can ever preserve the liberties of any people. When the people give way, their deceivers, betrayers and destroyers press upon them so fast that there is no resisting afterwards. The nature of the encroachments is to, grow every day more encroaching; like a cancer, it eats faster and faster every hour. John Adams cancer giving people By the former of these (canon law), the most refined, sublime, extensive, and astonishing constitution of policy that ever was conceived by the mind of man was framed by the Romish clergy for the aggrandizement of their own order. John Adams law men order
