Thomas Jefferson Natural Quotations

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.

What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.

The foundation on which all our constitution are built is the natural equality of man

Some other natural rights... [have] not yet entered into any declaration of rights.

Our rulers can have authority over such natural rights only as we have submitted to them.

[O]ur rules can have authority over such natural rights only as we have submitted to them. The rights of conscience we never submitted, we could not submit. We are answerable for them to our God.

The rights [to religious freedom] are of the natural rights of mankind, and ... if any act shall be ... passed to repeal [an act granting those rights] or to narrow its operation, such act will be an infringement of natural right.