April 27, 2024
Originally published at the Washington Jefferson Madison Institute
"To our Founding Fathers, it was obvious, or "self-evident,”
John Adams stated it this way, "Public virtue cannot exist in a Nation
without private Virtue, and public Virtue is the only Foundation of
Republics.”[3] In this regard, the revolutionary war was as much a
battle against "the corruption of 18th century British high
society,”[4] as it was against financial oppression. While the Founders
and American colonists were very concerned with their civil liberty and
economic freedom, demanding "no taxation without representation,
George Washington said: "Virtue or morality is a necessary spring of popular government,”[6]
Benjamin Franklin said: "Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom.” [8]
James Madison stated: "To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people, is a chimerical [imaginary] idea.”[9]
Thomas Jefferson wrote,
"No government can continue good but under the control of the people;
and … their minds are to be informed by education what is right and
what wrong; to be encouraged in habits of virtue and to be deterred
from those of vice … These are the inculcations necessary to render the
people a sure basis for the structure and order of government.”[10
Samuel Adams said: "Neither the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt. He therefore is the truest friend of the liberty of his country who tries most to promote its virtue.”[11]
Tim adds:Ours was a nation of individuals who govern themselves. Not anymore; now it must be governed by force because the individuals have been taught not to govern themselves but rather do as they please and allow government to provide guardrails to protect them from their own folly. Thus is tyranny born.
Posted by: Timothy Birdnow at
09:21 AM
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Posted by: Dana Mathewson at April 28, 2024 11:14 PM (551jX)
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