"Abuse of words has been the great instrument of sophistry and chicanery, of party, faction, and division of society."

Rating:

  rate this quote
Topic: none  help us select a topic for this quote

More quotes from: John Adams

• "A desire to be observed, considered, esteemed, praised, beloved, and admired by his fellows is ..."
• "All the perplexities, confusion and distress in America arise, not from defects in their Constitution ..."
• "Arms in the hands of citizens may be used at individual discretion... in private self-defense. "
• "As much as I converse with sages and heroes, they have very little of my ..."
• "Democracy... while it lasts is more bloody than either aristocracy or monarchy. Remember, democracy never ..."
• "Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates ..."
• "Fear is the foundation of most governments. "
• "Genius is sorrow's child. "
• "Great is the guilt of an unnecessary war. "
• "Here is everything which can lay hold of the eye, ear and imagination - everything ..."
• "I always consider the settlement of America with reverence and wonder, as the opening of ..."
• "I have accepted a seat in the House of Representatives, and thereby have consented to ..."
• "I must not write a word to you about politics, because you are a woman. "
• "I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics ..."
• "If we do not lay out ourselves in the service of mankind whom should we ..."
• "In politics the middle way is none at all. "
• "Liberty cannot be preserved without a general knowledge among the people. "
• "Liberty, according to my metaphysics is a self-determining power in an intellectual agent. It implies ..."
• "My country has contrived for me the most insignificant office that ever the invention of ..."
• "Old minds are like old horses; you must exercise them if you wish to keep ..."
• "Power always thinks it has a great soul and vast views beyond the comprehension of ..."

• "Power always thinks... that it is doing God's service when it is violating all his ..."
• "Property is surely a right of mankind as real as liberty. "
• "Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was ..."
• "The Declaration of Independence I always considered as a theatrical show. Jefferson ran away with ..."
• "The essence of a free government consists in an effectual control of rivalries. "
• "The happiness of society is the end of government. "
• "The Hebrews have done more to civilize men than any other nation. If I were ..."
• "The right of a nation to kill a tyrant in case of necessity can no ..."
• "There are two educations. One should teach us how to make a living and the ..."
• "There is danger from all men. The only maxim of a free government ought to ..."
• "Think of your forefathers! Think of your posterity. "
• "When people talk of the freedom of writing, speaking or thinking I cannot choose but ..."
• "While all other sciences have advanced, that of government is at a standstill - little ..."
• "Yesterday the greatest question was decided which ever was debated in America; and a greater ..."