A republic will avoid war unless the avoidance might create
conditions that are worse than warfare itself. Sometimes, the
dispositions of those who choose to make themselves our
enemies leaves us no choice.
A wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men from
injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate
their own persuits of industry and improvement, and shall not
take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the
sum of good government.
I place economy among the first and most important virtues, and
public debt as the greatest of dangers.... We must make our
choice between economy and liberty, or profusion and servitude.
The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only
as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my
neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no god. It neither picks
my pocket, nor breaks my leg.
- Thomas Jefferson, 1743 - 1826
conditions that are worse than warfare itself. Sometimes, the
dispositions of those who choose to make themselves our
enemies leaves us no choice.
A wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men from
injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate
their own persuits of industry and improvement, and shall not
take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the
sum of good government.
I place economy among the first and most important virtues, and
public debt as the greatest of dangers.... We must make our
choice between economy and liberty, or profusion and servitude.
The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only
as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my
neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no god. It neither picks
my pocket, nor breaks my leg.
- Thomas Jefferson, 1743 - 1826
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