The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction, is the first and only legitimate object of good government.

Thomas Jefferson

Read this letter at the National Archives website

More information about this quote

Topic

Purpose of government Political theory

Author

Thomas Jefferson

Source

Letters of Thomas Jefferson

Medium

Open letter Letter

Language

English

Time

1809 1800s 19th century

Occupation

Founding Father American President National leader Politician

From

United States

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Jefferson, Thomas. Letter to the Republican Citizens of Washington County, Maryland. 31 Mar. 1809.

Illustrated Quote

A quote by Thomas Jefferson about purpose of government: “The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction…”
Download
A quote by Thomas Jefferson about purpose of government: “The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction…”
Download
A quote by Thomas Jefferson about purpose of government: “The care of human life and happiness, and not their destruction…”
Download

Related Quotes

Below are one or more quotes that share at least one tag with the quote at the top of the page

Another quote by Thomas Jefferson

It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods, or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.

Thomas Jefferson

Notes on the State of Virginia

More information about this quote
Topic
Freedom of religion

Author

Thomas Jefferson
Source
Notes on the State of Virginia
Genre
Political literature
Language
English
Time
1787 1780s 18th century
Authentication Score 3
Original Citation

Jefferson, Thomas [published anonymously]. Notes on the State of Virginia. Paris: Philippe Denis Pierres, 1785, query 17.

Current Citation

Jefferson, Thomas. Notes on the State of Virginia, edited by Frank Shuffelton. Penguin Classics, 1998, query 17.

Another quote from the 1800s

Though inland far we be,
Our souls have sight of that immortal sea
Which brought us hither.

William Wordsworth

Ode: Intimations of Immortality from Recollection of Early Childhood

More information about this quote
Topic
Heaven

Author

William Wordsworth
Source
Ode: Intimations of Immortality from Recollection of Early Childhood
Medium
Poem
Statement Type
Metaphor, analogy and simile
Language
English
Time
1807 1800s 19th century
Authentication Score 3
Original Citation

Wordsworth, William. "Ode." Poems, in Two Volumes. Vol. 2, London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme, 1807. st. 9.

Current Citation

Wordsworth, William. "Ode ('There was a time')." William Wordsworth: The Major Works: including The Prelude, edited by Stephen Gill. Oxford University Press, 2008, st. 9.

Another quote about Political theory

In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.

Ronald Reagan

First Inaugural Address of Ronald Reagan

Buy a book containing this speech at Amazon Buy a book containing this speech at Amazon
Read this speech at UVA's Miller Center website
More information about this quote
Topic
Limited government Political theory American politics
Speaker
Ronald Reagan
Source
First Inaugural Address of Ronald Reagan Presidential inaugural address
Medium
Speech
Genre
Political speech
Language
English
Time
1981 1980s 20th century
Authentication Score 3
Citation

Reagan, Ronald. "First Inaugural Address." 20 Jan. 1981, West Front, US Capitol Building, Washington, DC, USA.