"Liberty, like equality, is a word more used than understood. Perfect and absolute liberty is incompatible with the existence of society, as equality of condition. It is impracticable in a state of nature even, since, without the protection of law, the strong would oppose and enslave the weak. We are then to understand by liberty, merely such a state of social compact as permits the members of a community to lay no more restraints on themselves, than are required by their real necessities, and obvious interests. To this definition may be added, that it is a requisite of-liberty, that the body of a nation should retain the power to modify its institutions, as circumstances shall require."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
On Liberty
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/The_American_Democrat
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
The American Democrat
55 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by The American Democrat →
Related Quotes
"The habit of seen the public rule, is gradually accustoming the American mind to an interference with private rights …"
"In America the taint of sectarianism lies broad upon the land. Not content with acknowledging the supremacy as the De…"
"The great body of the nation has no real interest in party. Every local election should be absolutely independent of …"
"Individuality is the aim of political liberty. By leaving to the citizen as much freedom of action and of being, as c…"
"All greatness of character is dependent on individuality. The man who has no other existence than that which he parta…"
""They say," is the monarch of this country, in a social sense. No one asks "who says it," so long as it is believed t…"
"Party is known to encourage prejudice, and to lead men astray in the judgment of character. Thus it is we see one hal…"
"Party, by feeding the passions and exciting personal interests, overshadows truth, justice, patriotism, and every oth…"
"No freeman, who really loves liberty, and who has a just perception of its dignity, character, action and objects, wi…"
"As reason and revelation both tell us that this state of being is but a preparation for another of a still higher and…"