George Herbert Walker Bush

“ Our observance of Citizenship Day and Constitution Week reminds us that we have not only many rights but also many responsibilities as citizens of this great Nation. With characteristic eloquence and sagacity, the celebrated American jurist Learned Hand once said: "Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women. When it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can save it." His words are a stirring reminder that our Constitution and Bill of Rights can be effective guarantees of freedom only as long as we understand and prize the principles that they enshrine. ”

“ Ratified in 1791, the Bill of Rights makes clear that our Constitution is a charter of limited government based on the principles of federalism. Together these documents express in law our Nation's commitment to the truths first affirmed in our Declaration of Independence: "that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." ”

“ The Bill of Rights guarantees, among other basic liberties, freedom of religion and of assembly, as well as freedom of speech and of the press; it protects the right to keep and bear arms; it prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures; and it ensures that no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. ”