The best guarantee against the abuse of power consists in the freedom, the purity, and the frequency of popular elections. — John Quincy Adams

Nip the shoots of arbitrary power in the bud, is the only maxim which can ever preserve the liberties of any people. — John Quincy Adams

Let us not be unmindful that liberty is power, that the nation blessed with the largest portion of liberty must in proportion to its numbers be the most powerful nation upon earth. — John Quincy Adams

The conflict between the principle of liberty and the fact of slavery is coming gradually to an issue. Slavery has now the power, and falls into convulsions at the approach of freedom. — John Quincy Adams

Individual liberty is individual power. — John Quincy Adams

Power always thinks it has a great soul and vast views beyond the comprehension of the weak, and that it is doing God’s service when it is violating all His laws. — John Quincy Adams

The will of the people is the source and the happiness of the people the end of all legitimate government upon earth. — John Quincy Adams

This is the last of earth! I am content. — John Quincy Adams

The hope of a Christian is inseparable from his faith. Whoever believes in the Divine inspiration of the Holy Scriptures must hope that the religion of Jesus shall prevail throughout the earth. — John Quincy Adams

Roll, years of promise, rapidly roll round, till not a slave shall on this earth be found. — John Quincy Adams

Death fixes forever the relation existing between the departed spirit and the survivors upon earth. — John Quincy Adams

America is a friend of freedom everywhere, but a custodian only of our own. — John Quincy Adams

The freedom of the press should be inviolate. — John Quincy Adams

Posterity: you will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it. — John Quincy Adams

Wherever the standard of freedom and independence has been or shall be unfurled, there will be America’s heart, her benedictions and her prayers. — John Quincy Adams

America… goes not abroad, in search of monsters to destroy. She is the well–wisher to the freedom and independence of all. — John Quincy Adams

Civil liberty can be established on no foundation of human reason which will not at the same time demonstrate the right of religious freedom. — John Quincy Adams

This hand, to tyrants ever sworn the foe, For Freedom only deals the deadly blow; Then sheathes in calm repose the vengeful blade, For gentle peace in Freedom’s hallowed shade. — John Quincy Adams

I believe in the] rebuilding of Judea as an independent nation. — John Quincy Adams

Is it not that, in the chain of human events, the birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Saviour? — John Quincy Adams

Whether to the nation or to the state, no service can be or ever will be rendered by a more able or a more faithful public servant. — John Quincy Adams

The manners of women are the surest criterion by which to determine whether a republican government is practicable in a nation or not. — John Quincy Adams

America, with the same voice which spoke herself into existence as a nation, proclaimed to mankind the inextinguishable rights of human nature, and the only lawful foundations of government. — John Quincy Adams

Occasional war is one of the rigorous instruments in the hands of Providence to give tone to the character of nations. — John Quincy Adams

The four most miserable years of my life were my four years in the presidency. — John Quincy Adams

The influence of each human being on others in this life is a kind of immortality. — John Quincy Adams

The mere title of lawyer is sufficient to deprive a man of the public confidence. … The most innocent and irreproachable life cannot guard a lawyer against the hatred of his fellow citizens. — John Quincy Adams

To furnish the means of acquiring knowledge is … the greatest benefit that can be conferred upon mankind. It prolongs life itself and enlarges the sphere of existence. — John Quincy Adams

The Sermon on the Mount commands me to lay up for myself treasures, not upon earth, but in Heaven. My hopes of a future life are all founded upon the Gospel of Christ. — John Quincy Adams

Life is a problem; mortal man was made to solve the solemn problem right or wrong. — John Quincy Adams

From the experience of the past we derive instructive lessons for the future. — John Quincy Adams

The Bible contains the revelation of the will of God. It contains the history of the creation of the world, and of mankind. — John Quincy Adams

The first and almost the only Book deserving of universal attention is the Bible. — John Quincy Adams

No book in the world deserves to be so unceasingly studied, and so profoundly meditated upon as the Bible. — John Quincy Adams

The Bible carries with it the history of the creation, the fall and redemption of man, and discloses to him, in the infant born at Bethlehem, the Legislator and Savior of the world. — John Quincy Adams

In what light soever we regard the Bible, whether with reference to revelation, to history, or to morality, it is an invaluable and inexhaustible mine of knowledge and virtue. — John Quincy Adams

The law is an artificial human construct, quite arbitrary, and of absolutely no use anywhere else but in a court of law! — John Quincy Adams

The experience of all former ages had shown that of all human governments, democracy was the most unstable, fluctuating and short–lived. — John Quincy Adams

Among the sentiments of most powerful operation upon the human heart, and most highly honorable to the human character, are those of veneration for our forefathers and of love for our posterity. — John Quincy Adams

The great problem of legislation is, so to organize the civil government of a community… that in the operation of human institutions upon social action, self–love and social may be made the same. — John Quincy Adams

In charity to all mankind, bearing no malice or ill will to any human being, and even compassionating those who hold in bondage their fellow men, not knowing what they do. — John Quincy Adams