John Adams Quote

"Nip the shoots of arbitrary power in the bud, is the only maxim which can ever preserve the liberties of any people. When the people give way, their deceivers, betrayers, and destroyers press upon them so fast, that there is no resisting afterwards. The nature of the encroachment upon the American constitution is such, as to grow every day more and more encroaching. Like a cancer, it eats faster and faster every hour. The revenue creates pensioners, and the pensioners urge for more revenue. The people grow less steady, spirited, and virtuous, the seekers more numerous and more corrupt, and every day increases the circles of their dependents and expectants, until virtue, integrity, public spirit, simplicity, and frugality, become the objects of ridicule and scorn, and vanity, luxury, foppery, selfishness, meanness, and downright venality swallow up the whole society."

by:	John Adams (1735-1826) Founding Father, 2nd US President
Source:	Novanglus Letters, 1774
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Categories:	Power, Liberty, Encroachment, America, Constitution, Economics, Government, Deception, Betrayal, Destruction, Resistance, Security, Dependence, Entitlements, Virtue, Integrity, Frugality, Hypocrisy, Vanity, Luxury, Foppery, Selfishness, Aggression, Venality, Society, Honor
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WOW! ! ! Today's Amerika on steroids.  -- Mike, Norwalk      4
Wow is right. Seventy years or so after the birth of the nation, the radical federalist take control at the point of a gun ! 150 years later, like looking into a crystal ball the Quote by John Adams has come to fruition. " The encroachment upon the American Constitution creates pensioners and the pensioners urge for more revenue " Deceivers, betrayers, and destroyers are like cancer !!  -- Ronw13, Yachats Or      5
Maybe in describing the ugly non-compassionate ways of every animal I can think of, Founding Father John has hit on a true note: we need to concentrate .. and even more .. act on .. the statement ( Biblical, I believe ) that mankind is created to be above the animals. THINK on it: name an animal that's not "described to a t" by his multi-faceted description of what happens to man (and mankind) if he doesn't "nip the shoots of arbitrary power."  -- Bobble, No. Ferrisburgh, VT      2
Man, Adams couldn't be more right on. Note the date is prior to the American Revolution -- his experience is of the English government. Obviously the corruptions are full blown now in the USA. Something has got to give, or else...  -- E Archer, NYC      4
This excellent quote from John Adams is absolutely succinct to the present day.  -- Mary - MI      3
-- A.WOODS, Gloucester
Ouŗ nation's utterly classless, ineffably contemptible, contemporary political class possess, at most, a ten thousandth the inspiŗation, insight, illumination, integrity, intellect, ingenuity and imagination of our illustrious, noblemen of nature Founders. So much for the Theory of Evolution.  -- Charles, Ludlow      2
I'm not too sure the point yesteryear's Barney Fife is making here, but to reinforce the strength of the constitution requires a scientific examination of the document, exploring the depth and the penetration of its purposes and goals. If encroachment continues to threaten, actions must be taken to make sure the document is developed to preserve its maintenance and counter the unfortunate encroachment. If the document is not making tremendous growth progression, it is not a element of human, or life. The public must be become more personally connected to the document for it to be relevant. Putting our lives into written content and context does appear a beneficial and progressive relevance.  -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown      1
Spoken like a true Marxist, Fred.  Equating John Adams with Barney Fife is absolutely insulting!  You are a bloated ignoramous!  Adams couldn't be more spot on regarding the responsibilities of the People about the encroachment of their rights.  It is not the document's responsibility to protect us from the 'good intentions' from your socialist would-be demi-gods.  It is the common People — who are the targets of your utopian plans that apparently should be made more clear in these documents which you seem to believe a Constitution to be for, that is granting/transferring rights and power to people rather than protecting their God-given rights and property.  Your hubris stinks.  I am absolutely tired of your totalitarian dribble spewed on this site every single day.  It is poison and a big middle finger in the face of everyone here who values Liberty over your socialist 'solutions' which are a death knell to our posterity.  makes me want to gag!  Why don't you take a vacation for a couple months, please.  Good Lord help me.  -- E Archer, NYC      1
Mr. Archer, your response is the simply the expression of the uneducated. You simply don't grasp reality in the progressive and productive manner. The manner of my approach offers the only secure preservation and survival alternative. I do not do totalitarian, nor middle fingers, or unlike you, spit indecently. I offer decency, dignity, equality, respect, and understanding. I grasp the circumstances progressively and productively as any adult.  -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown      1
Sorry by the way, I insulted Barney Fife.  -- Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown

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