Culture

Samuel Adams: Virtue, Knowledge, and Liberty

by smkovalinsky | October 24, 2009 at 09:12 am

186 views | 6 Recommendations | 9 comments

I thought I would place some quotes from the great American thinker, Samuel Adams here, for they are guiding principles even in our own times:
Adams has been remembered in American history for his stunning arguments against British rule.

A general dissolution of the principles and manners will more surely overthrow the liberties of America than the whole force of the common enemy.... While the people are virtuous they cannot be subdued; but once they lose their virtue, they will be ready to surrender their liberties to the first external or internal invader.... If virtue and knowledge are diffused among the people, they will never be enslaved. This will be their great security.

Driven from every other corner of the earth, freedom of thought and the right of private judgment in matters of conscience, direct their course to this happy country as their last asylum.

If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.

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...The sum of all is, if we would most truly enjoy this gift of Heaven, let us become a virtuous people.

~Samuel Adams http://quotes.liberty-tree.ca/quotes_by/samuel+adams

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Roy C

at 09:16 on October 24th, 2009

I wanna' say, "O my God!" Suor Marie has hit another homerun and I am standing in the bleachers, mouth agape, as Roberta Redford circles the bases.

Roy C

at 09:18 on October 24th, 2009

What is the source of virtue and what is its repository within us? How is the character of real character anchored? Ah.......!

smkovalinsky

at 09:34 on October 24th, 2009

Gee, thanks, good and kind sir. Yes, character and virtue was Aristotle's overarching quest in philosophy.

Hugh Askew

at 01:56 on October 25th, 2009

Now, now, now, smk. Quoting our founders will get you in trouble.

Best to remember that Sam was a wild-eyed radical.

Recall his really whacked-out sayings, like:

Shame on the men who can court exemption from present trouble and expense at the price of their own posterity's liberty!

If ever a time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in Government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin.

Hardly the work of a competent mind.

a211423

at 14:41 on October 24th, 2009

Samual Adams' methods were tarnished a little when learning of his participation in the Boston "Massacre" which was really not a massacre; however, five people were killed in the insuing violence that erupted from a snowball fight.

The purpose of the Boston Massacre was to try to make liberal and moderate people become radicals. ( We had some examples of this during the summer!) It was really an accident that started with a snowball fight by some young kids that escalated into a confrontation with soldiers. The radicals tried to use propaganda and turn something small into something big. The British soldiers were accused of Murder and manslaughter. To represent them was John Adams, a relative of Samuel Adams. Adams wanted the trial to get over and didn’t want the truth to come out. The Boston Massacre and misleading visual representation by Paul Revere could have been one cause of a later war.

From wikipedia

In 1770, a street confrontation resulted in British soldiers killing five civilians in what became known as the Boston Massacre.[13] The soldiers involved, who were arrested on criminal charges, had trouble finding legal counsel. Finally, they asked Adams to defend them. Although he feared it would hurt his reputation, he agreed. Six of the soldiers were acquitted. Two who had fired directly into the crowd were charged with murder but were convicted only of manslaughter.