Posted on 12/11/2008 10:49:46 AM PST by tang-soo
Subject: Words of Thomas Jefferson
Our third President could very easily be called our greatest prophet. Here are some quotes from his prolific writings.
When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe.
The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.
It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world.
I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.
My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government.
No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms.
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.
The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.
And finally A Very Interesting Quote -- in light of the present financial crisis:
This is what Thomas Jefferson said in 1802:
'I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.'
What a great Man
Didn’t he die impoverished, compared to his friend John Adams who had gained much wealth?
so true. Thomas Jefferson is still an inspiring man.
so true. Thomas Jefferson is still an inspiring man.
“The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not. “
Well I guess we now understand what’s wrong. Now do we have the will to do what it takes to correct it.
The same thing was said by Madison at the Constitutional Convention. Read “55 men-The Story of the Constitution” based on the day-by day notes of James Madison by Fred Rodell.
Problem is, most Americans don't know who Thomas Jefferson was, or who the Founding Fathers were. Probably less than 10% have ever read a single word Jefferson wrote. Which means, most Americans never read the Declaration of Independence. Nor do most Americans know anything about basic civics --- civilians without accepting the responsibility that goes along with citizenship, is like a time bomb waiting to destroy our Republic.
No, not yet. Our bellies are full and American Idol is on the TeeVee.
I offer my sincerest apologies to the men who risked and lost their lives for our freedom.
I believe at least that last quote is fake. Don’t know about the rest.
http://www.snopes.com/quotes/jefferson/banks.asp
Where are these great men today?
They sure aren't involved in professional politicking.
What great man with a brain would voluntarily endure the daily media rectal and the necessary whoring of his belief system to win elected office?
Bookmarking.
Rep. Jim DeMint is quoted in another thread here today when asked about the bailouts. He said,
When is this imsanity going to stop. We are going to have riots.
Jefferson refused to patent his invention of a plow that was used extensively, and that could have helped him pay his bills.
Heck the provision for granting patents is included in Article I section 8 line 8 of the U.S. Constitution; but Jefferson gave it up for free ‘for the benefit of mankind’.
They were both holding off death until the 50th anniversary of Independence Day. Jefferson was on his death bed and would ask “Is it the 4th yet?”. Adams made it until the 4th and as he lay dieing he spoke his last words “Jefferson still lives” but he was wrong. Jefferson had predeceased him by a couple hours.
Great quote. For a while I used it as a tagline. But now I have to wonder about it.
Our world is what it is, and we have to live in it. There's no way we can recapture that older ruralism.
Plus, life in 1800 or 1900 wasn't all that it might appear to a Jeffersonian agrarian.
If you've tasted the possibilities of the 21st century, it's hard to say you'd want to go back to how things were.
What people object to in Jefferson is that he recommended the simple life to others, while making sure that his own wine cellar and pantry and library were stocked with the best the world could provide.
...Jefferson died nearly broke.
Some of that may have been due to high living. The general decline of Virginia agricultural productivity had much to do with it as well. But Jefferson was also generous, giving his library to the country after the British burned the Library of Congress.
Agrarian economies can be stagnant, leaving people at the bottom with little hope of advancement. That's one reason why governments in Jefferson's day tried to promote commerce to stir things up a bit and give the ambitious more opportunity to rise.
After the open frontier disappeared was that agriculture was too productive to be profitable for many farmers, and this also lead to the development of industry and to government intervention. But farming couldn't hold on to it's share of the population in any case. Like the song of the day said: "How You Gonna Keep Them Down on the Farm, After They’ve Seen Paree?"
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