John Adams - christiansquoting.org.uk

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

Courage and perseverance have a magic talisman, before which difficulties and obstacles vanish into air. John Adams (1767-1848)

I have accepted a seat in the House of Representatives, and thereby have consented to my own ruin, to your ruin, and to the ruin of our children. I give you this warning that you may prepare your mind for your fate.- John Adams

I must not write a word to you about politics, because you are a woman. ~John Adams to his wife, Abigail Adams.

Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other. --John Adams

Public virtue cannot exist in a nation without private, and public virtue is the only foundation of republics.--John Adams

The four most miserable years of my life. - John Adams (1735 &endash; 1826) US President (2), on the Presidency

It has confirmed in me, the Belief, of what was formerly suspected, viz., that your Principles were very wicked and depraved, tho your Cunning was exquisite enough, to conceal your Crimes from the Public scrutiny. I am now brought to believe what was formerly only suspected, viz. your subordination of Witnesses, your Perjuries, and your Briberies as well as your Cruelty. John Adams, Dec. 23rd, 1765

The great and Almighty author of nature, who at first established those rules which regulate the world, can as easily suspend those laws whenever his providence sees sufficient reason for such suspension. This can be no objection, then, to the miracles of Jesus Christ.
John Adams; in his Diary Mar. 1, 1756.; Works II, p.8

I am, therefore, of opinion that men ought, (after they have examined with unbiased judgments every system of religion, and chosen one system, on their own authority, for themselves,) to avow their opinions and defend them with boldness.-- John Adams Diary Mar. 7, 1756; 'Works' II, p8

We live, my dear, in an age of trial. What will be the consequence, I know not. --John Adams, to Abigail Adams, 1774, quoted in _John Adams_ David McCullough

These bickerings of opposite parties, and their mutual reproaches their declamations, their sing-song, their triumphs and defiances, their dismals and prophecies, are all delusion.-- John Adams to Abigail; Jul 16, 1774

The Science of Government it is my duty to study, more than all other Sciences: the Art of Legislation and Administration and Negotiation, ought to take place, indeed to exclude in a manner all other Arts.&emdash;I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study Mathematics and Philosophy. My sons ought to study Mathematics and Philosophy, Geography, natural History, Naval Architecture, navigation, Commerce and Agriculture, in order to give their Children a right to study Painting, Poetry, Musick, Architecture, Statuary, Tapestry and Porcelaine. --John Adams, letter to Abigail Adams, after May 12, 1780.&emdash;Adams Family Correspondence, ed. L. H. Butterfield, vol. 3, p. 342 (1973).

The numbers of men in all ages have preferred ease, slumber, and good cheer to liberty, when they have been in competition. We must not then depend alone upon the love of liberty in the soul of man for it preservation. Some political institutions must be prepared to assist this love against its enemies. Without these, the struggle will ever end only in a change of imposters.--John Adams, letter to Samuel Adams, October 18, 1790

We have been told that our struggle has loosened the bands of government everywhere; that children and apprentices were disobedient; that schools and colleges were grown turbulent; that Indians slighted their guardians and Negroes grew insolent to their masters. But your letter was the first intimation that another tribe more numerous and powerful than all the rest were grown discontented. This is rather too coarse a compliment, but you are so saucy, I won't blot it out. Depend on it, we know better than to repeal our masculine systens. Although they are in full force, you know they are little more than theory. We dare not exert our power in its full latitude. We are obliged to go fair and softly, and in practice you know we are the subjects. We have only the name of masters, and rather than give up this, which would completely subject us to the despotism of the petticoat, I hope General Washington and all our brave heroes would fight. --from the letters of John Adams, quoted in _John Adams_, David McCullough