#fe

Our greatest happiness does not depend on the condition of life in which chance has placed us, but is always the result of a good conscience, good health, occupation, and freedom in all just pursuits. ↗

— Thomas Jefferson

#always #chance #condition #conscience #depend

Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear. ↗

— Thomas Jefferson

#because #boldness #even #existence #fear

Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves are its only safe depositories. ↗

— Thomas Jefferson

#degenerates #every #government #only #people

Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call to her tribunal every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear. ↗

— Thomas Jefferson

#because #blindfolded #boldness #call #even

An association of men who will not quarrel with one another is a thing which has never yet existed, from the greatest confederacy of nations down to a town meeting or a vestry. ↗

— Thomas Jefferson

#association #confederacy #down #existed #greatest

The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only object of good government. ↗

— Thomas Jefferson

#destruction #first #good #good government #government

Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter. ↗

— Thomas Jefferson

#government #hesitate #i #latter #left

It is our duty still to endeavor to avoid war; but if it shall actually take place, no matter by whom brought on, we must defend ourselves. If our house be on fire, without inquiring whether it was fired from within or without, we must try to extinguish it. ↗

— Thomas Jefferson

#avoid #brought #defend #duty #endeavor

I have no fear that the result of our experiment will be that men may be trusted to govern themselves without a master. ↗

— Thomas Jefferson

#fear #govern #i #master #may

I was bold in the pursuit of knowledge, never fearing to follow truth and reason to whatever results they led, and bearding every authority which stood in their way. ↗

— Thomas Jefferson

#bold #every #fearing #follow #i