Historical voices

I have no notion of yielding the palm of the United States to any Grecians or Romans that were ever born.

A good opinion of ourselves is exceedingly necessary in private life, but absolutely necessary in public life, and of the utmost importance in supporting national character.

The Grecians and Romans were strongly possessed of the spirit of liberty but not the principle, for at the time that they were determined not to be slaves themselves, they employed their power to enslave the rest of mankind.

England has lost hers in a long chain of right reasoning from wrong principles, and it is from this country, now, that she must learn the resolution to redress herself, and the wisdom how to accomplish it.

Had it not been for America, there had been no such thing as freedom left throughout the whole universe.

America has surmounted a greater variety and combination of difficulties, than, I believe, ever fell to the share of any one people, in the same space of time, and has replenished the world with more useful knowledge and sounder maxims of…

Could the mist of antiquity be cleared away, and men and things be viewed as they really were, it is more than probable that they would admire us, rather than we them.

Mankind have lived to very little purpose, if, at this period of the world, they must go two or three thousand years back for lessons and examples.

But if neither councils can prevail on her to think, nor sufferings awaken her to reason, she must e'en go on, till the honor of England becomes a proverb of contempt, and Europe dub her the Land of Fools.

If it were possible that you could carry on the war for twenty years you must still come to this point at last, or worse, and the sooner you think of it the better it will be for you.

Let England mind her own business and we will mind ours.

You are fighting for what you can never obtain, and we defending what we never mean to part with.

England finds that she cannot conquer America, and America has no wish to conquer England.

I am not one of those who wish to see Europe in a flame, because I am persuaded that such an event will not shorten the war.

Our expenses will repay themselves with tenfold interest, while yours entail upon you everlasting poverty.

We are already in possession of the prize, you only in pursuit of it.

That period, thank God, is past, and she is no longer the dependent, disunited colonies of Britain, but the independent and United States of America, knowing no master but heaven and herself.

The convulsions of Europe might have thrown her from one conqueror to another, till she had been the slave of all, and ruined by every one; for until she had spirit enough to become her own master, there was no knowing to which master she…

Yet it is not on the justice only, but likewise on the importance of this cause that I ground my seeming enthusiastical confidence of our success.

She wanted nothing from you, and was indebted for nothing to you: and thus circumstanced, her defence is honorable and her prosperity is certain.

And if there was ever a just war since the world began, it is this in which America is now engaged.

She has taken up the sword of virtuous defence; she has bravely put herself between Tyranny and Freedom, between a curse and a blessing, determined to expel the one and protect the other.

We leave it to England and Indians to boast of these honors; we feel no thirst for such savage glory; a nobler flame, a purer spirit animates America.

If there is a sin superior to every other, it is that of wilful and offensive war.