Posts Tagged ‘civic virtue’
The First Pillar in the Temple of Republicanism
LIBERTY LETTERS, DANIEL WEBSTER The first pillar in the temple of Republicanism is correct and stabile morality. All republics are predicated upon this principle; without it they cannot exist. Without virtue, honesty, and tolerance in rulers, and obedience and respect in people Constitutions are waste paper and laws of mockery. When ambition, [...]
The Best Governments Still Need Moral Men
Called Unto Liberty, 19th Century Sermons, Brigham Young I like a good government, and then I like to have it wisely and justly administered. The government of heaven, if wickedly administered, would become one of the worst governments upon the face of the earth. No matter how good a government is, unless it is administered by righteous men, an [...]
Sam Adams: Preserving Morals, Property & Right
Liberty Letters Quote of the Day, Samuel Adams As the Preservation of Morals as well as Property and Right, so much depends upon the impartial Distribution of Justice, agreeable to good and wholesome Law: and as the Judges of the Land do depend upon the free Grants of the General Assembly for Support; It is incumbent upon you at all times to [...]
Samuel Adams: Regarding the Truest Friend of Liberty and Country
Liberty Letters Quote of the Day, Samuel Adams He therefore is the truest friend to the liberty of his country who tries most to promote its virtue, and who, so far as his power and influence extend, will not suffer a man to be chosen into any office of power and trust who is not a wise and virtuous man. We must not conclude merely upon a man's [...]
Gouverneur Morris: The Only Solid Base of Free Governments
Liberty Letters Quote of the Day, Gouverneur Morris For avoiding the extremes of despotism or anarchy ... the only ground of hope must be on the morals of the people. I believe that religion is the only solid base of morals and that morals are the only possible support of free governments. Source: United States Founding Father, Signer [...]
Madison: War and the Degeneracy of Manners, Morals & Liberty
Liberty Letters Quote of the Day, James Madison Of all the enemies to public liberty war is, perhaps, the most to be dreaded, because it comprises and develops the germ of every other. War is the parent of armies; from these proceed debts and taxes; and armies, and debts, and taxes are the known instruments for bringing the many under the [...]
A Ulititarian Foundation of Morality
Daniel James Sanchez, Mises.org In Thucydides's History of the Peloponnesian War, the rhetorical orations of ancient Greek statesmen often alternated between appealing to honor and to interest: to justice and to expediency. Similarly, modern classical liberals (libertarians) often take a dual approach to making the case for liberty. On [...]
The Pulpit and the American Revolution: Samuel Cooper
Leonard O. Goenaga Article Series: The Pulpit and the Patriots WEEK 3: The Pulpit and the American Revolution: Samuel Cooper (1725-1783) A second minister worthy of mention is Samuel Cooper, Pastor of Brattle Street Church in Boston. Born March 28, 1727, Cooper was the third child of Rev. William Cooper and Judith, the daughter of the [...]
David O. McKay: Integrity: The Strength of a Nation
Called Unto Liberty, David O. McKay: 1964, 20th Century Sermons The foundation of a noble character is integrity. By this virtue the strength of a nation, as of an individual, may be judged. No nation will become great whose trusted officers will pass legislation for personal gain, who will take advantage of public office for personal [...]
A Nation is No Greater Than the Character of Its People
Called Unto Liberty, Albert E. Bowen, 20th Century Sermons In stabilized character, established by a consistent course of conduct, directed by adherence to right principles, lies the only safety of the state. It is that which gives to the individual citizen the power to govern himself from within. If we cannot build up a race of individuals [...]
The Base, The Only Sure Foundation of Enlightened Society: Young
Called Unto Liberty, Brigham Young: 1855, 19th Century Sermons Assuredly in the preservation of virtue, morality, and intelligence she may look for the perpetuity of her free institutions, and the preservation of her liberty. And in the moment of her disregard of these principles, when wickedness and sin can run riot with impunity, and not [...]
Laws That Are Anything But Laws
Daily Dabble in the Classics, Cicero Cicero wrote in his De Legibus that both justice and law derive their origin from God. For Cicero, natural law obliges us to contribute to the general good of the larger society. The purpose of positive laws is to provide for "the safety of citizens, the preservation of states, and the tranquility and [...]
A Meaningless Old Parchment?
by Steve Farrell Today we are bombarded with the idea that private virtue has nothing to do, nothing to say, about proper governing and the maintenance of free government. Not so among America's Founders. On August 14, 1787, John Francis Mercer, a Delegate from Maryland to the Constitutional Convention rose to his feet. He said: What led to [...]
My Chapter One: The Local Community “The Call”
By Gary Brown “Gary, they’re recommending that we put condoms in our schools beginning with the fourth grade.” These were the words of the Principal of our local Elementary School spoken to me over the phone. This statement would define the rest of my life. During the next few weeks, I am going to share with you how God changed my [...]
The Dialogue Over Christians and Public Policy Continues — Bryan Fischer
By Bryan Fischer Here is another chapter in my ongoing dialogue with an individual who challenges AFA’s work of speaking truth into the public arena. _________________________ Bryan, First of all, I'm not concerned so much with what the "Christian thing to do" is, but rather what Jesus did do (which, very often throughout history is not the [...]
Noah Webster: Why the Bible Belongs In the Schools — American Minute
American Minute with Bill Federer He left Yale for four years to fight in the Revolutionary War. After graduation, he became a lawyer and taught school in New York. Dissatisfied with the children's spelling books, he wrote the famous Blue-Backed Speller, which sold over one hundred million copies. After twenty-six years of work, he published the [...]
Contemptable Naked Capitalists — John Dickinson
Liberty Letters Quote of the Day, 1767, John Dickinson Some states have lost their liberty by particular accidents. But this calamity is generally owing to the decay of virtue. A people is traveling fast to destruction, when individuals consider their interests as distinct from those of the public. Such notions are fatal to their country, and to [...]
American Revolution, Part II — Benjamin Rush
Liberty Letters Quote of the Day, 4 July 1787, Benjamin Rush We have changed our forms of government, but it remains yet to effect a revolution in our principles, opinions and manners so as to accommodate them to the forms of government we have adopted. Liberty Letters is a project of The Moral Liberal . Compiled, and edited (with occasional [...]
Best Citizen Handbook: The Holy Bible — John Quincy Adams — American Minute
American Minute with Bill Federer President John Adams' son, John Quincy Adams, was U.S. Minister to Russia. In September 1811, John Quincy Adams wrote from St. Petersburg to his son, Charles: "My dear Son...You mentioned that you read to your aunt a chapter in the Bible...every evening. This information gave me real pleasure..." John Quincy [...]
Hope or National Catastrophe? — Daniel Webster
American Minute with Bill Federer One of the five greatest Senators in U.S. history, the State of New Hampshire placed his statue in the U.S. Capitol's Statuary Hall. His career spanned almost four decades, serving as Secretary of State for Presidents William Harrison, John Tyler and Millard Fillmore. His name was Daniel Webster, born JANUARY 18, [...]
Folly, Vice, and Madness — Edmund Burke
American Minute with Bill Federer "The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." This famous quote was from British statesman Edmund Burke, who was born JANUARY 12, 1729. Considered the most influential orator in the House of Commons, Burke stands out in history, for, as a member of the British Parliament, he [...]
Modernity Worthless Without Truth, Righteousness, and Mercy — David O. McKay
Prophet Statesmen, David O. McKay Undoubtedly we are living in one of the most epoch-making periods of the world. It is a time that demands clear thinking and sound judgment. It is not strange that the majority of men and women in this nuclear age are unhappy because they feel the foundations beneath them are tottering. Notwithstanding all our [...]
If This is Higher Law, So Be It — Brigham Young
Prophet Statesmen, Brigham Young Assuredly in the preservation of virtue, morality, and intelligence she may look for the perpetuity of her free institutions, and the preservation of her liberty. And in the moment of her disregard of these principles, when wickedness and sin can run riot with impunity, and not moral influence and force enough be [...]
