“It is the stars, The stars above us, govern our conditions”

“Leave no authority existing not responsible to the people.”

“On the dogmas of religion, as distinguished from moral principles, all mankind, from the beginning of the world to this day, have been quarreling, fighting, burning and torturing one another, for abstractions unintelligible to themselves and to all others, and absolutely beyond the comprehension of the human mind.”

“I hope our wisdom will grow with our power, and teach us that the less we use our power the greater it will be.”

“I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever.”

“To penetrate and dissipate these clouds of darkness, the general mind must be strengthened by education”

“Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government.”

“He who knows nothing is closer to the truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors”

“Do you want to know who you are? Don’t ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.”

“Of liberty I would say that, in the whole plenitude of its extent, it is unobstructed action according to our will. But rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add ‘within the limits of the law,’ because law is often but the tyrant’s will, and always so when it violates the right of an individual.”

“Information is the currency of democracy.”

“He who knows best knows how little he knows”

“I am of a sect by myself, as far as I know”

“We hold these truths to be self evident: 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”

“Don’t talk about what you have done or what you are going to do”