"If men, through fear, fraud, or mistake, should in terms renounce or
give up any natural right, the eternal law of reason and the grand end
of society would absolutely vacate such renunciation. The right to
freedom being the gift of Almighty God, it is not in the power of man
to alienate this gift and voluntarily become a slave."
by:
Samuel Adams
(1722-1803), was known as the "Father of the American Revolution."
Source:
The Votes and Proceedings of the Freeholders and Other Inhabitants of the Town of Boston in Town Meeting Assembled, According to Law. Published by Order of the Town. Oct 1772
http://libertytree.ca/docs/The-Boston-Pamphlet
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Reader comments about this quote:
I think you did a great job talking about Samuel Adams and this web really helps me out and it is the best web site so far i have been on for Samuel Adams
 -- Kelly, PA     
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    this is awesome
     -- Bradley, mission     
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    I love this quote! The quote really makes me think.
     -- Joey, Vancouver     
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    It is absolutely true that it is not in the power of Any man to take away what is bestowed upon us from The One.I pray that a sliver of the wisdom and ideals of Our Forefathers lives on in the spirit of the 21st Century American.Amen
     -- 21st Century American, Your Town,USA.     
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     -- Logan, Memphis, TN      
    Absolutely beautiful. What say you Reston?
     -- Joe, Rochester, MI     
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    Spectactular! Would that there were a person today to stand up and unite us so effectively in our current battle with "King George".
     -- Anonymous, Reston, VA US     
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    This one quote fills volumes
     -- Mike, Norwalk     
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    This is the kind of mind dynamite we could all use right now!
     -- Rev. Sharyn, Litchfield, Conn.     
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    Any agreement to waive one's rights is therefore null and void -- that is to say, it would be, if it were written into the Constitution that way.
     -- E Archer, NYC     
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    This especially applies to government and their relentless attempts to steal our liberties.
     -- Mike, NC     
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    As much as I love Sam Adams, he's wrong on this one. One of the natural rights bestowed upon man is the right to voluntarily give them up and choose to become a slave. Just look around, you see it all the time.
     -- Taylor, SLC     
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    Sam does seem to contradict himself here. Perhaps it might have been more precise to say "The right to freedom being the gift of Almighty God, it SHOULD NOT BE in the power of man to alienate this gift and voluntarily become a slave." But even then Taylor has a valid point. I suppose that in some future man will be smart enough not to make the same mistake.
     -- David L. Rosenthal, Hollywood     
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    Taylor, you missed that whole Declaration of Independence thing: "...all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights" Samuel Adams was as accurate in his day as he is absolutely correct in this day. It is true that most succumb to tyranny, choosing to violate their God given state of being to no consequence, the rights are inalienable. Abiding tyranny is not an escape from God given rights.
     -- Mike, Norwalk     
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    That most everyone appears to either pay or accept social security, and noone has voted to abolish the Federal Reserve just goes to show how willing people are to accept slavery.
     -- Anonymous     
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     -- Josh, Ft.Jose      
    that is gansta
     -- 222, florida     
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    THIS IS AWESOME
     -- MORGAN     
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    Samuel Adams ROCKS! I love his money grubbers get the hell out quote. He is right, no one would willingly be a slave. Your right too though.. We are slaves to the IRS, the Fed and to every part of our local gov who freely centeralizes (fed powerless w/o State approval). True and accurate education is denied, fraud, fear and force is the name of the game. Terrible to be in this generation, speaking the truth is discounted outright for preference to the TV. It is a sad State....
     -- It_IS_worthEverything, Salem     
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    oh snap this sucks
     -- josh, mi     
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    Should have given the meaning to the quote, but its good.
     -- Jasmine, Willington,Massachusetts     
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    Samuel Adams is one of my favorites ~ but to understand this quote you have to read it several times and really think it through. Men do on occasion renounce their Rights, but have no Right to do so: We are accountable to God, the One who gave the Right.
     -- David Pett, Tacoma WA     
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    that was the best quote ever
     -- desiree, spring, texas     
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     -- Anonymous      
    Samuel Adams is really a great figure in history. I enjoyed the quote, but to understand it you must really think about it.
     -- Kaitlin H., Colorado     
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    THAT ONE PARAGRAGH TELLS A LOT
     -- MINA     
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     -- Anonymous      
    Sam Adams, in spite of being the pre-eminent advocate of individual rights during the Revolution, was completely blocked from any influence in the governance of the newly-created country by the new 'establishment' of the rich and powerful 'founding fathers'. Human nature does not change and history always repeats itself. Learn from the past or suffer it again in the future. I believe that in this case his meaning can apply to the present -- that in spite of allowing ourselves to become the slaves of corporate propaganda, we are inherently free and can always assert that right. HOWEVER, in a system which(pun intended) systematically disenfranchises the majority and invalidates their votes, that freedom is not obtainable via the ballot box. Let us work for a true democracy!
     -- Mitch, Petaluma, CA     
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    open your eyes and thank el shaddai that you live in U. S. A
     -- american, us     
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    its alright.......
     -- nadlyn, u.s     
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    Sam Adams was the spark and the quote is absolutely right on as this discussion shows. I think we might call him a "purist" who lit the candle so others could see. The others had to move over a bit to be "realists" regarding what could be done within reason. Now, at long last, his heritage is celebrated in a beer! I'm not joking about that. It is an inspired brew aimed at the highest ideals of craft and loved by a devoted following. He is finally getting some recognition 235 years after the DOI was announced to the world!
     -- J. B. Wulff, Bristol, CT     
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    It is sad to me, for all those not rating this quote with a minimum of 5 stars. They do so not understanding the 'being' or the tangible self as is averse to the being acted upon - believing the being and the action to be one in the same. I AM ! put me in jail, inhibit my actions in anyway and I AM still I AM. I may choose to have or, allow others to tell me what to do BUT still, I AM. I'm forced into slaver but still, I AM. I'm insane, I'm impaired, I'm . . ., but still, I AM. Under all circumstances, my inalienable endowment is intact. A possible example, whether you believe or not: God isn't love because of what He does, God is love so that is what He does.
     -- Mike, Norwalk     
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     -- Mary-MI      
    "Ignorance of the law if no excuse." Americans have become slaves to the establishment because they have allowed others to infringe upon their inalienable rights and replace them with government granted privileges. If you're a slave to the IRS, it's because you don't know the law. TruthAttack.org and LostHorizons.com might give you some insight into the truth about the IRS.
     -- Douglas, u     
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    Pushing back after being pushed for so long, into a corner. Many a Patriot has never heard of Save A Patriot Society, This quote has been the battle cry of SAPS from the beginning. A ground swell, undercurrent, relentless, dogged in resolve, to make Aware to the Patriots of liberty and Freedom the ongoing legal battles waged on a daily basis. The Patriotic Agrarian movement of the 20's and 30's being put down at the point of a gun by FDR, jailing 140,000 individual Patriots. Yoemen farmers for the most part, small Mom and Pop operations of many sorts. Confiscation of gold and silver coin, with the forcing of withholdings by employers from labor using a fiat currency, unredeemable in valued silver or gold. Ending the barter system between merchant and farmer, used by such sense before the nation was founded. Make no mistake, this slavery came about at the point of a gun coupled with economic hardship designed to destroy the Spirit of ancient liberty residing in the backbone of our nation's Patriots. The individual sovereign's endowment from the Creator. But Now with renewed hope of restoration with awareness of that which
    has been under siege for over 150 years, the Patriot movement is brought to light, in a big way, through President Donald J.Trump, pushing back and cleaning house.

     -- Ronw13, OR     
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    As it is written:

    " The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage."

    ~ Psalm 16:6

    We, as Americans, have a goodly heritage.

    Wisdom of the Ages, as expressed by Nobleman of Nature and illustrious Founder, Samuel Adams.
     -- Patrick Henry, Red Hill     
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     -- Patrick Henry, Red Hill      
    Sam Adams never foresaw Our libtards.
    Democrats are apparently aliens of Liberty,
    do they not volunteer for slavery - and intend for Us to relinquish Ours as well?
     -- Mark W, Aurora, CO     
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