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

— John Adams

A Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever.

— John Adams

Admire and adore the Author of the telescopic universe, love and esteem the work, do all in your power to lessen ill, and increase good, but never assume to comprehend.

— John Adams

A government of laws, and not of men

— John Adams

A government of laws, and not of men.

— John Adams

All the perplexities, confusion and distress in America arise, not from defects in their Constitution or Confederation, not from want of honor or virtue, so much as from the downright ignorance of the nature of coin, credit and circulation.

— John Adams

A pleasant morning. Saw my classmates Gardner, and Wheeler. Wheeler dined, spent the afternoon, and drank Tea with me. Supped at Major Gardiner's, and engage'd to keep School at Bristol, provided Worcester People, at their ensuing March meeting, should change this into a moving School, not otherwise. Major Greene this Evening fell into some conversation with me about the Divinity and Satisfaction of Jesus Christ. All the Argument he advanced was, 'that a mere creature, or finite Being, could not make Satisfaction to infinite justice, for any Crimes,' and that 'these things are very mysterious.'(Thus mystery is made a convenient Cover for absurd

— John Adams

A taste for literature and a turn for business, united in the same person, never fails to make a great man.

— John Adams

Because power corrupts, society's demands for moral authority and character increase as the importance of the position increases.

— John Adams

Be it remembered, that liberty must at all hazards be supported. We have a right to it, derived from our Maker. But if we have not, our fathers have earned and bought it for us at the expense of their ease, their estates, their pleasure, and their blood.

— John Adams