Presidents on Politics – John Adams

I must not write a word to you about politics, because you are a woman. (Written to his wife, Abigail Adams.)

Liberty, according to my metaphysics is a self-determining power in an intellectual agent. It implies thought and choice and power.

Democracy... while it lasts is more bloody than either aristocracy or monarchy. Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There is never a democracy that did not commit suicide.
The happiness of society is the end of government.

In politics the middle way is none at all.

There is danger from all men. The only maxim of a free government ought to be to trust no man living with power to endanger the public liberty.

Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.