So confident am I in the intentions, as well as wisdom, of the government, that I shall always be satisfied that what is not done, either cannot, or ought not to be done.

I own that I am not a friend to a very energetic government. It is always oppressive.

No government ought to be without censors; and where the press is free no one ever will.

Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government.

Sometimes it is said that man cannot be trusted with the government of himself. Can he, then, be trusted with the government of others? Or have we found angels in the form of kings to govern him? Let history answer this question.

I think we have more machinery of government than is necessary, too many parasites living on the labour of the industrious.