The following are from Revolutionary hero, Sam Adams:
“Among the natural rights of the colonists are these: first, a right to life; secondly, to liberty; thirdly to property; together with the right to support and defend them.”
“The natural liberty of man is…not to be under the will or legislative authority of man.”
“Every man has an equal right by honest means to acquire property, and…pursue his own happiness, and none can consistently control or interrupt him in the pursuit… unalienable rights…are held sacred.”
“The right to freedom being the gift of Almighty God, it is not in the power of man to alienate this gift.”
“Our unalterable resolution would be to be free.”
“Without liberty and equality [under the law], there cannot exist…the assurance of this to every citizen, that his own personal safety and rights are secure…the end and design of all free and lawful governments.”
“It is the greatest absurdity to suppose it in the power of one, or any number of men, at the entering into society, to renounce their essential rights, or the means of preserving those rights.”
“All might be free if they valued freedom, and valued it as they should.”
“Our contest is…whether there shall be left to mankind an asylum on earth for civil and religious liberty.”
“The most glorious legacy we can bequeath to posterity is liberty…the only true security is liberty!”
“While the people are virtuous they cannot be subdued; but once they lose their virtue, they will be ready to surrender their liberties.”
“While a people retain a just sense of Liberty…the insolence of power will forever be despised.”
“There is a degree of watchfulness over all men possessed of power… upon which the liberties of mankind must depend. It is necessary to guard against the infirmities of the best as well as the wickedness of the worst.”
“Let us contemplate our forefathers, and posterity, and resolve to maintain the rights bequeathed to us from the former for the sake of the latter.”
“It is a tremendously important and never-ending problem for the self-governing American people to be…ever alert and vigorously active in…combating wherever necessary, any and all threats to Individual liberty and to its supporting system of constitutionally limited government.”
“The liberties of our country, the freedom of our civil constitution, are worth defending at all hazards; and it is our duty to defend them against all attacks.”
“It is now high time for the people of this country to explicitly declare whether they will be free men or slaves.”
“If ye love…the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom…may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.”
