Our nation is built on the bedrock principle that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed.

The fact that political ideologies are tangible realities is not a proof of their vitally necessary character. The bubonic plague was an extraordinarily powerful social reality but no one would have regarded it as vitally necessary.

Democracy is the only system that persists in asking the powers that be whether they are the powers that ought to be.

The people are the government administering it by their agents they are the government the sovereign power.

What I worry about would be that you essentially have two chambers the House and the Senate but you have simply majoritarian absolute power on either side. And that's just not what the founders intended.

It is to be regretted that the rich and powerful too often bend the acts of government to their own selfish purposes.

Knowledge will forever govern ignorance and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.

Property may be destroyed and money may lose its purchasing power but character health knowledge and good judgement will always be in demand under all conditions.

You have a good many little gifts and virtues but there is no need of parading them for conceit spoils the finest genius. There is not much danger that real talent or goodness will be overlooked long and the great charm of all power is modesty.

Hope is a state of mind not of the world. Hope in this deep and powerful sense is not the same as joy that things are going well or willingness to invest in enterprises that are obviously heading for success but rather an ability to work for something because it is good.