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John Adams

John Adams Quotes

2nd U.S. President

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Famous John Adams Quotes

“The date will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.”

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Author:John Adams
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“July 4th ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion.”

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Author:John Adams
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“The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity. I will avow that I then believed, and now believe, that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God.”

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Book:The Works of John Adams Vol. 10: Letters and State Papers 1811 - 1825
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“The Christian religion is, above all the religions that ever prevailed or existed in ancient or modern times, the religion of wisdom, virtue, equity and humanity.”

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Book:The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: With a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations
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“Liberty, once lost, is lost forever.”

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Book:The Book of Abigail and John: Selected Letters of the Adams Family, 1762-1784
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“But how has it happened that millions of fables, tales, legends have been blended with both Jewish and Christian revelation that have made them the most bloody religion that ever existed?”

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Book:The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: With a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations
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“Suppose a nation in some distant region should take the Bible for their only law book, and every member should regulate his conduct by the precepts there exhibited. What a Utopia! What a paradise this region would be.”

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Book:The Portable John Adams
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“The only foundation of a free Constitution, is pure Virtue, and if this cannot be inspired into our People, in a great Measure, than they have it now. They may change their Rulers, and the forms of Government, but they will not obtain a lasting Liberty.”

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Author:John Adams
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“The moment the idea is admitted into society that property is not as sacred as the law of God, and that there is not a force of law and public justice to protect it, anarchy and tyranny commence.”

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Book:The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: With a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations
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“[I]t is religion and morality alone which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand. The only foundation of a free constitution is pure virtue.”

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Book:The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: With a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations
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“The divinity of Jesus is made a convenient cover for absurdity. Nowhere in the Gospels do we find a precept for Creeds, Confessions, Oaths, Doctrines, and whole carloads of other foolish trumpery that we find in Christianity.”

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Author:John Adams
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“The question before the human race is, whether the God of nature shall govern the world by his own laws, or whether priests and kings shall rule it by fictitious miracles?”

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Book:The Adams-Jefferson Letters: The Complete Correspondence Between Thomas Jefferson and Abigail and John Adams
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“I almost shudder at the thought of alluding to the most fatal example of the abuses of grief which the history of mankind has preserved - the Cross. Consider what calamities that engine of grief has produced!”

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Author:John Adams
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“Banks have done more injury to the religion, morality, tranquility, prosperity, and even wealth of the nation than they can have done or ever will do good.”

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Book:The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: With a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations
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“The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity”

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Book:The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: With a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations
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“That the said Constitution shall never be construed to authorize Congress to infringe the just liberty of the press or the rights of conscience.”

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Author:John Adams
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“If "Thou shalt not covet," and "Thou shalt not steal," were not commandments of Heaven, they must be made inviolable precepts in every society, before it can be civilized or made free.”

IfsMadePoliticsHeavenEconomyCapitalismEconomicsStealingLiberalismCivilizedCommandmentsFoundingPrivate PropertyOur Founding FathersProperty RightsUs Founding FathersFounding AmericaReligion And GovernmentCapitalism And Socialism
Book:The Political Writings of John Adams
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“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

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Book:Works: with a life of the author
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“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.”

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Author:John Adams
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“Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.”

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Author:John Adams
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“I always consider the settlement of America with reverence and wonder, as the opening of a grand scene and design in providence, for the illumination of the ignorant and the emancipation of the slavish part of mankind all over the earth.”

EarthAmericaLibertyWonderMankindDesignSceneIndependenceIgnorantOpeningPatrioticReverenceProvidenceFounding4th Of JulyIlluminationEmancipationOur Founding FathersSettlementUs Founding FathersForefathersUs Independence Day
Book:The Portable John Adams
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“But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever.”

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Book:The Letters of John and Abigail Adams
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“Children should be educated and instructed in the principles of freedom.”

ShouldChildrenFreedomLibertyPrinciplesDemocracyEducatedPatrioticFoundingFreedom And LibertyFreedom Of ThoughtFreedom LibertyOur Founding FathersPublic EducationAmerican LibertyRevolution Founding FathersAmerican FreedomEducation And Freedom
Book:The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: With a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations
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“As the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion, - as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Musselmen, - and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.”

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Author:John Adams
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“We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge or gallantry would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution is designed only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for any other.”

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Book:The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: With a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations
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“This would be the best of all possible worlds, if there were no religion in it.”

IfsWorldWould BeReligionReligiousLibertyAtheismAtheistBeing The BestDelusionInsightfulFoundersSecularAgnosticFoundingChurch And StateFreedom And LibertySeparation Of Church And StateFreedom LibertyOur Founding FathersReligious FreedomFounding Fathers ChristianUs Founding FathersFounding Fathers ReligionSeparation Between Church And StateFounding Fathers ReligiousIf There Is A GodReligion GodReligious LibertyFounding Fathers Anti ReligionFounding Fathers Of AmericaFounding AmericaAmerican Founding FathersFounding Fathers AtheistAnti ReligiousDeismThere Being No GodChristianity From Founding FathersChristian AtheistReligion ChristianChristian FatherChristian HeritageAmerican LibertyReligion And GovernmentAnti ChristianChristian RightAgainst ReligionAnti ReligionGod DelusionFaith ReligionRevolution Founding FathersReligion In SocietyChristian GodGreatest AtheistFree Thinkers
Book:The Adams-Jefferson Letters: The Complete Correspondence Between Thomas Jefferson and Abigail and John Adams
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“[L]iberty must at all hazards be supported. We have a right to it, derived from our Maker. But if we had not, our fathers have earned and bought it for us, at the expense of their ease, their estates, their pleasure, and their blood.”

IfsFatherFreedomPleasureLibertyBloodRevolutionEconomicsEaseExpensesMakersEstatesFoundingOur FatherHazardsOur Founding FathersAmerican RevolutionUs Founding FathersAmerican LibertyRevolution Founding Fathers
Book:An Eulogy on John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, etc
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