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Notes on the State of Virginia quotes

Thomas Jefferson

English (18)

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“I advance it therefore as a suspicion only, that the blacks, whether originally a distinct race, or made distinct by time and circumstances, are inferior to the whites in the endowments both of body and mind.” Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia
“The whole commerce between master and slave is a perpetual exercise of the most boisterous passions, the most unremitting despotism on the one part, and degrading submissions on the other.” Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia
“Difference of opinion is advantageous in religion. The several sects perform the office of a Censor morum over each other.” Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia
“Reason and free inquiry are the only effectual agents against error.” Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia
“And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with his wrath?” Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia
“It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself.” Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia
“I doubt whether the people of this country would suffer an execution for heresy, or a three years imprisonment for not comprehending the mysteries of the Trinity.” Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia
“It is the manners and spirit of a people which preserve a republic in vigour.” Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia
“But the British parliament fixes its own quorum: our former assemblies fixed their own quorum: and one precedent in favour of power is stronger than an hundred against it.” Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia
“They have made the happy discovery, that the way to silence religious disputes, is to take no notice of them.” Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia
“Ignorance is preferable to error; and he is less remote from the truth who believes nothing, than he who believes what is wrong.” Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia
“What has been the effect of coercion? To make one half the world fools, and the other half hypocrites.” Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia
“Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves therefore are its only safe depositories.” Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia
“Was the government to prescribe to us our medicine and diet, our bodies would be in such keeping as our souls are now.” Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia
“And with what execration should the statesman be loaded, who permitting one half the citizens thus to trample on the rights of the other, transforms those into despots, and these into enemies, destroys the morals of the one part, and the amor...” Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia
“The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.” Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia
“Dependance begets subservience and venality, suffocates the germ of virtue, and prepares fit tools for the designs of ambition.” Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia
“A single zealot may commence persecutor, and better men be his victims.” Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia

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religion government error truth freedom people endowment suspicion medicine diet inquiry despotism morality reason power racism virtue foolishness God ignorance

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Thomas Jefferson quotes