George Washington

My first wish is to see this plague of mankind, war, banished from the earth.

I have no other view than to promote the welfare of every individual in the community.

The consideration that human happiness and moral duty are inseparably connected, will always continue to form a part of my system of ethics.

The Constitution is the guide which I never will abandon.

Let us therefore animate and encourage each other, and show the whole world that a freeman, contending for liberty on his own ground, is superior to any slavish mercenary on earth.

The basis of our political systems is the right of the people to make and to alter their constitutions of government.

It is better to be alone than in bad company.

The aggregate happiness of society, which is, or ought to be, the end of all government.

I can only say that I have acted with a conscientious regard to the dictates of my duty.

My movements to the chair of Government will be accompanied by feelings not unlike those of a culprit who is going to the place of his execution.

The name of American, which belongs to you in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of patriotism more than any appellation derived from local discriminations.

The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right which Heaven itself has ordained.

Influence is not government.

The power of the people is not to be questioned.

Without an humble imitation of the divine author of our blessed religion, we can never hope to be a happy nation.

I hold the maxim no less sound than it is trite, that there is a certain medium in all things, which it is wise and safe to pursue.

It is impossible to govern a nation without God and the Bible.

The path of my duty is plain before me, and I will pursue it.

Let us raise a standard to which the wise and honest can repair; the rest is in the hands of God.

The great mass of our citizens require no more than to understand a subject to make them decide properly on it.