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Quote by Thomas Jefferson

“I am ever unwilling that [peace] should be disturbed as long as the rights and interests of the nations can be preserved. But whensoever hostile aggressions on these require a resort to war, we must meet our duty and convince the world that we are just friends and brave enemies.”

Quote by Thomas Jefferson

Book:Thomas Jefferson: Thoughts on War and Revolution : Annotated Correspondence

Work

Thomas Jefferson: Thoughts on War and Revolution : Annotated Correspondence

The book features a comprehensive selection of Jefferson's letters and documents, providing insight into his views on military strategy, political philosophy, and the principles of the American Revolution. more

Author

Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson was the third President of the United States, a distinguished politician, philosopher, architect, and scientist. He was born on April 13, 1743, and died on July 4, 1826. Jefferson advocated for democracy and freedom in politics and was one of the main authors of the Declaration of Independence. His political ideas had a profound impact on the founding and development of the United States. more

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“By nature's law, man is at peace with man till some aggression is committed, which, by the same law, authorizes one to destroy another as his enemy.”

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Book:Memoir, Correspondence, and Miscellanies, from the Papers of Thomas Jefferson

Source: Memoir, Correspondence, and Miscellanies, from the Papers of Thomas Jefferson

“Our duty to ourselves, to posterity, and to mankind, call on us by every motive which is sacred or honorable, to watch over the safety of our beloved country during the troubles which agitate and convulse the residue of the world, and to sacrifice to that all personal and local considerations.”

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Book:The writings of Thomas Jefferson

Source: The writings of Thomas Jefferson

“It is an essential attribute of the jurisdiction of every country to preserve peace, to punish acts in breach of it, and to restore property taken by force within its limits.”

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Book:Memoirs, correspondence and private papers of Thomas Jefferson, ed. by T.J. Randolph

Source: Memoirs, correspondence and private papers of Thomas Jefferson, ed. by T.J. Randolph

“Language fits over experience like a straight-jacket.”

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“The introduction of so powerful an agent as steam [to a carriage on wheels] will make a great change in the situation of man.”

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Author:Thomas Jefferson

“God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion.”

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Book:Correspondence

Source: Correspondence

“Never was so much false arithmetic employed on any subject, as that which has been employed to persuade nations that it is in their interest to go to war.”

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Book:The portable Thomas Jefferson

Source: The portable Thomas Jefferson

“This [the U.S. Constitution] is likely to be administered for a course of years and then end in despotism... when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government, being incapable of any other.”

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“The fate of unborn millions will now depend, under God, on the courage and conduct of this army. We have, therefore, to resolve to conquer or die.”

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“In our time, political speech and writing are largely the defense of the indefensible. Things like the continuance of British rule in India, the Russian purges and deportations, the dropping of the atom bombs on Japan, can indeed be defended, but only by arguments which are too brutal for most people to face, and which do not square with the professed aims of the political parties. Thus political language has to consist largely of euphemism, question-begging and sheer cloudy vagueness.”

Source: Orwell and Politics