Quotes by Founding Fathers - Page 3

Human happiness and moral duty are inseparably connected.
George Washington
The U.S. Constitution doesn't guarantee happiness only the pursuit of it. Your have to catch up with it yourself.
Benjamin Franklin
We must all hang together else we shalFall hang separately.
Benjamin Franklin
The basis of our political systems is the right of the people to make and to alter their constitutions of government.
George Washington
Government is not reason it is not eloquence - it is force.
George Washington
The secret of success is constancy to purpose.
Benjamin Franklin
Well done is better than well said.
Benjamin Franklin
Action not words are the true criterion of the attachment of friends.
George Washington
Keep flax from fire youth from gaming.
Benjamin Franklin
It [gaming] is the child of avarice the brother of iniquity and the father of mischief.
George Washington
True friendship is a plant of slow growth and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation.
George Washington
Be slow in choosing a friend slower in changing.
Benjamin Franklin
Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation for 'tis better to be alone than in bad company.
George Washington
Be courteous to all but intimate with few and let those few be well-tried before you give them your confidence.
George Washington
Actions not words are the true criterion of the attachment of friends.
George Washington
There are three faithful friends: an old wife an old dog and ready money.
Benjamin Franklin
A wise man will desire no more than what he may get justly use soberly distribute cheerfully and leave con-tently.
Benjamin Franklin
If you desire many things many things will seem but a few.
Benjamin Franklin
Ambition has its disappointments to sour us but never the good fortune to satisfy us.
Benjamin Franklin
If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead either write things worth reading or do things worth writing.
Benjamin Franklin
The greatest monarch on the proudest throne is obliged to sit upon his own arse.
Benjamin Franklin
The way to see by Faith is to shut the eye of Reason.
Benjamin Franklin
A cheerful face is nearly as good for an invalid as healthy weather.
Benjamin Franklin
None preaches better than the ant and she says nothing.
Benjamin Franklin
We must never despair our situation has been compromising before and it has changed for the better so I trust it will again. If difficulties arise we must put forth new exertion and proportion our efforts to the exigencies of the times.
George Washington
Fatigue is the best pillow.
Benjamin Franklin
Energy and persistence conquer all things.
Benjamin Franklin
If a man empties his purse into his head no one can take it from him.
Benjamin Franklin
Beware of little expenses a small leak will sink a great ship.
Benjamin Franklin
Early to bed and early to rise Makes a man healthy wealthy and wise.
Benjamin Franklin
Eat to please thyself but dress to please others.
Benjamin Franklin
Genius is nothing but a greater aptitude for patience.
Benjamin Franklin
He that can have patience can have what he will.
Benjamin Franklin
It is easier to suppress the first desire than to satisfy all that follow it.
Benjamin Franklin
When confronted with two courses of action I jot down on a piece of paper all the arguments in favor of each one then on the opposite side I write the arguments against each one. Then by weighing the arguments pro and con and cancelling them out one against the other I take the course indicated by what remains.
Benjamin Franklin
Since the general civilization of mankind I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.
James Madison
Be courteous to all but intimate with few and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence.
George Washington
Keep your eyes wide open before marriage half shut afterwards.
Benjamin Franklin
Without love what are we worth? Eighty-nine cents! Eighty-nine cents worth of chemicals walking around lonely.
Benjamin Franklin
Perform without fail what you resolve.
Benjamin Franklin
A child thinks twenty shillings and twenty years can scarce ever be spent.
Benjamin Franklin
Teach your child to hold his tongue He'll learn fast enough to speak.
Benjamin Franklin
Little boats should keep near shore.
Benjamin Franklin
For want of a nail the shoe was lost for want of a shoe the horse was lost and for want of a horse the rider was lost being overtaken and slain by the enemy all for want of care about a horseshoe nail.
Benjamin Franklin
Carelessness does more harm than a want of knowledge.
Benjamin Franklin
Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder.
George Washington
A single man has not nearly the value he would have in a state of union. He is an incomplete animal. He resembles the odd half of a pair of scissors.
Benjamin Franklin
At 20 years of age the will reigns at 30 the wit at 40 the judgment.
Benjamin Franklin
All would live long but none would be old.
Benjamin Franklin
Those things that hurt instruct.
Benjamin Franklin
To be thrown upon one's own resources is to be cast into the very lap of fortune for our faculties then undergo a development and display an energy of which they were previously unsusceptible.
Benjamin Franklin
God helps them that helps themselves.
Benjamin Franklin
If you want a thing done go - if not send.
Benjamin Franklin
[I retained] only the Habit of expressing my self in Terms of modest Diffidence, never using when I advance any thing that may possibly be disputed, the Words 'Certainly, 'undoubtedly', or any others that I give the Air of Positiveness to an Opinion; but rather say 'I conceive', or 'I apprehend a Thing to be so or so', 'It appears to me', or 'I should think it so or so for such & such Reasons', or 'I imagine' it to be so or so, or 'it is so' if I am not mistaken.—This Habit I believe has been of great Advantage to me, when I have had occasion to inculcate my Opinions and persuade Men into Measures that I have been from time to time engag'd in promoting.—And as the chief Ends of Conversation are to inform, or to be informed, to please or to persuade, I wish well meaning sensible Men would not lessen their Power of doing Good by a Positive assuming Manner that seldom fails to disgust, tends to create Opposition, and to defeat every one of those purposes for which Speech was given to us, to wit, giving or receiving Information or Pleasure: For if you would inform, a positive dogmatical Manner in advancing your Sentiments, may provoke Contradiction & prevent a candid Attention.
Benjamin Franklin
Let thy discontents be thy secrets
Benjamin Franklin
But lest some unlucky event should happen unfavorable to my reputation, I beg it may be remembered by every gentleman in the room that I this day declare with the utmost sincerity, I do not think myself equal to the command I am honored with.
George Washington
A man must have a good deal of vanity who believes, and a good deal of boldness who affirms, that all the doctrines he holds are true, and all he rejects are false.
Benjamin Franklin
People willing to trade their freedom for temporary security deserve neither and will lose both
Benjamin Franklin
Wherever the real power in a Government lies, there is the danger of oppression. In our Governments, the real power lies in the majority of the Community, and the invasion of private rights is chiefly to be apprehended, not from the acts of Government contrary to the sense of its constituents, but from acts in which the Government is the mere instrument of the major number of the constituents.
James Madison
To all apparent beauties blind, each blemish strikes an envious mind.
Benjamin Franklin