Stand your ground, dont fire unless fired upon.
But if they mean to have a war,
LET IT BEGIN HERE!
Jonas Parker, Captain of American Forces
to his troops at the Battle of Lexington
April 19, 1775
What a glorious morning this is.
Samuel Adams, on hearing the first shots being fired at Lexington April 19,1775
Don't one of you fire 'til you see the whites of their eyes.
William Prescott, Colonel of American Forces to his troops at the Battle of Bunker Hill 6/17/1775
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If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.
Tom Paine, 1776
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The period of debate is CLOSED!
Arms, as the last resort, decided the contest.
The blood of the slain,
the weeping voice of nature cries,
'TIS TIME TO PART!
Thomas Pain, Common Sense 1776
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Arms discourage & keep the invader
& plunderer in awe,
& preserve order in the world as well as property.
It is the duty of the patriot
to protect his country from its government.
Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom,
must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.
He that would make his own liberty secure,
must guard even his enemy from opposition;
for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach himself.
Thomas Paine
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Yesterday, the greatest question was decided which ever was debated in America
& a greater perhaps never was nor will be decided among men.
A resolution was passed without one dissenting colony,
"THAT THESE UNITED COLONIES ARE
& OF RIGHT OUGHT TO BE FREE & INDEPENDENT STATES".
John Adams July 3, 1776 in a letter to Abigail Adams
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"We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America,
in General Congress, Assembled,
appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world
for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name,
and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and
DECLARE,
That these United Colonies are,
& of Right ought to be
Free & Independent States,
that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown,
& that all political connection between them & the State of Great Britain,
is & ought to be totally dissolved; & that as
Free & Independent States,
they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace,
contract Alliances, establish Commerce, & to do all other Acts
& Things which Independent States may of right do."
July 4th 1776
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Statements made as they signed their names
to the Declaration of Independence:
We must all hang together,
or assuredly we shall all hang separately
Benjamin Franklin
There! His Majesty can now read my name without glasses.
And he can double the reward on my head!
John Hancock
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| 2/22/1732 - 12/14/1799 |
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| Incorruptible & Fearless |
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"A government big enough to give you everything you
want is big enough to take everything you have."
Thomas Jefferson
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| America's foundation is God's Word (click here) |
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I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.
Nathan Hale's last words before being hanged by British
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I must study politics and war
that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy.
The jaws of power are always open to devour,
and her arm is always stretched out,
if possible, to destroy the freedom of thinking, speaking, and writing.
Let us dare to read, think, speak & write.
John Adams 1765
In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame,
two is a law firm, and three or more is a congress.
- John Adams
This is the most magnificent movement of all! There is a dignity, a majesty, a sublimity, in this last effort of the patriots that I greatly admire. The people should never rise without doing something to be remembered — something notable and striking. This destruction of the tea is so bold, so daring, so firm, intrepid and inflexible, and it must have so important consequences, and so lasting, that I can't but consider it as an epocha in history!"
- John Adams diary entry, about the Boston Tea Party, December 17, 1773
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The distinctions between Virginians, Pennsylvanians,
New Yorkers, and New Englanders are no more.
I Am Not A Virginian, But An American!
Patrick Henry in 1774 after the Boston Tea Party
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Thomas Jefferson
In matters of principle,
stand like a rock.
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I believe that
banking institutions are
more dangerous to our liberties
than standing armies.
If the American people ever allow private banks
to control the issue of their currency,
first by inflation, then by deflation,
the banks and corporations that will
grow up around the banks will deprive the people
of all property - until their children
wake-up homeless on the continent
their fathers conquered.
On every question of construction,
carry ourselves back to the time when the Constitution was adopted,
recollect the spirit manifested in the debates
& instead of trying what meaning
may be squeezed out of the text or invented against it,
conform to the probable one in which it was passed.
No free man shall ever
be debarred the use of arms.
The strongest reason for the
people to retain the right to keep and bear arms
is, as a last resort, to protect themselves
against tyranny in government.
My reading of history
convinces me that most bad government
results from too much government.
Whenever the people are well informed,
they can be trusted with their own government.
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Benjamin Franklin
People willing to trade their freedom for temporary security
deserve neither & will lose both.
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In those wretched countries
where a man cannot call his tongue his own,
he can scarce call anything his own.
Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation
must begin by subduing the freeness of speech; a thing terrible to public traytors
Benjamin Franklyn, the Dogwood Papers 1722
(written at the age of 16)
The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness.
You have to catch it yourself .
He that is of the opinion that money will do everything,
may well be suspected of doing everything for money.
By failing to prepare,
you are preparing to fail.
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"Truly
the Man of the Revolution,
for depth of purpose,
zeal & sagacity,
no man in Congress exceeded,
if any equaled,
Sam Adams"
Thomas Jefferson
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"I pity Mr. Sam Adams,
for he was born a Rebel."
John Adams
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"In the beginning of a change,
the patriot is a scarce man, brave, hated, and scorned
When his cause succeeds however, the timid join him,
For then it costs nothing to be a patriot."
--- Mark Twain
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