Thomas Jefferson, His Permanent Influence on American Institutions

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Columbia University Press, 1913 - Biography & Autobiography - 330 pages
Looks at the influence of Thomas Jefferson as a Virginian, a revolutionist, a diplomat, and as President of the United States.

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Page 261 - I have sworn upon the altar of god, eternal hostility against ] every form of tyranny over the mind of man.
Page 211 - I am compelled to declare it as my deliberate opinion that if this bill passes, the bonds of this Union are virtually dissolved; that the States which compose it are free from their moral obligations, and that as it will be the right of all, so it will be the duty of some, to prepare definitely for a separation, amicably if they can, violently if they must.
Page 83 - 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?
Page 211 - The inhabitants of the ceded territory shall be incorporated in the Union of the United States, and admitted as soon as possible, according to the principles of the Federal Constitution, to the enjoyment of all the rights, advantages, and immunities of citizens of the United States; and in the meantime they shall be maintained and protected in the free enjoyment of their liberty, property, and the religion which they profess.
Page 252 - Assembly, elected by the people for the ordinary purposes of legislation only, have no power to restrain the acts of succeeding Assemblies, constituted with powers equal to our own, and that therefore to declare this act irrevocable would be of no effect in law; yet we are free to declare, and do declare, that the rights hereby asserted are of the natural rights of mankind, and that if any act shall be hereafter passed to repeal the present or to narrow its operation, such act will be an infringement...
Page 220 - The civil rights and political status of the native inhabitants of the territories hereby ceded to the United States shall be determined by the Congress.
Page 41 - They meant to set up a standard maxim for free society which should be familiar to all, and revered by all; constantly looked to, constantly labored for, and even though never perfectly attained, constantly approximated, and thereby constantly spreading and deepening its influence and augmenting the happiness and value of life to all people of all colors everywhere.
Page 138 - Our first and fundamental maxim should be, never to entangle ourselves in the broils of Europe. Our second, never to suffer Europe to intermeddle with cis-atlantic affairs.
Page 207 - Not so can it ever be in the hands of France. The impetuosity of her temper, the energy and restlessness of her character...
Page 138 - But the war in which the present proposition might engage us, should that be its consequence, is not her war, but ours. Its object is to introduce and establish the American system, of keeping out of our land all foreign powers, of never permitting those of Europe to intermeddle with the affaire of our nations. It is to maintain our own principle, not to depart from it.

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