Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jeffersonwas an American Founding Father who was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence. He was elected the second Vice President of the United States, serving under John Adams and in 1800 was elected the third President. Jefferson was a proponent of democracy, republicanism, and individual rights, which motivated American colonists to break from Great Britain and form a new nation. He produced formative documents and decisions at both the state and national level...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionUS President
Date of Birth13 April 1743
CityShadwell, VA
CountryUnited States of America
We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.
Great innovations should not be forced on slender majorities.
It is my principle that the will of the majority should always prevail.
Though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will, to be rightful, must be reasonable.
If the measures which have been pursued are approved by the majority, it is the duty of the minority to acquiesce and conform.
It would not be for the public good to have [a majority in Congress of one party] greater [than] two to one.
the minority possess their equal rights, which equal law must protect, and to violate would be oppression.
We are sensible of the duty and expediency of submitting our opinions to the will of the majority, and can wait with patience till they get right if they happen to be at any time wrong.
The selfish spirit of commerce knows no country, and feels no passion of principle but that of gain
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government
I see students all over and around the building. It looks nothing like a school. It looks like a country club.
I sincerely believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. The issuing powers should be taken from the banks and restored to the people to whom it properly belongs.
I served with General Washington in the Legislature of Virginia... and... with Dr. Franklin in Congress. I never heard either of them speak ten minutes at a time, nor to any but the main point.
Another means of silently lessening the inequality of property is to exempt all from taxation below a certain point, and to tax the higher portions of property in geometric progression as they rise