James Otis Quotes

Democratic institutions are based on a reality of human nature: that those with power, however benign or even noble their intentions, will do what they can to keep it.

The truth is that men are tired of liberty.

Every tyrant who has lived has believed in freedom for himself.

Democracy don't rule the world, You'd better get that in your head; This world is ruled by violence, But I guess that's better left unsaid.

Many laws as certainly make bad men, as bad men make many laws.

Where liberty dies, evil grows.

Power is what men seek and any group that gets it will abuse it.

Freedom can be killed by neglect as well as by direct attack.

Yes, citizens, Iturbide was a traitor, a hypocrite and an impious man who destroyed the assembly in which the people had deposited their sovereignty in order to appropriate it all to himself

No country in the world abounds in men of higher honor and integrity than the South, but where the question of Slavery is involved, justice and honor must stand aside, and the worst passions of the worst part of society become the ruling principle. The tyrant's plea of public danger and public necessity on such occasions overrides all laws, higher and lower, and the demagogue who bids highest for the public favor, by avowing the most malignant hatred of Abolitionism, is sure to obtain power. The honor of the South, therefore, cannot be trusted where the interests of Slavery are involved, because on such occasions the voice of honor and truth is always silenced by the clamor of low, brutal and selfish passions.

A heavy aristocracy and corruption are two bridles in the mouths of a people which will prevent them from making any effectual efforts against their masters.

The true danger is when liberty is nibbled away for expedients.

He who opposes the public liberty overthrows his own.

Power corrupts the few, while weakness corrupts the many.

… to gag us from speaking truth, and discovering the tyrannies of bad men.

You know, "power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely"? It's the same with powerlessness. Absolute powerlessness corrupts absolutely.

Those who sell their liberty for security are understandable, if pitiable, creatures. Those who sell the liberty of others for wealth, power, or even a moment's respite deserve only the end of a rope.

Those who have no sense of right, reason or religion, have a natural propensity to make use of their strength to the destruction of such as are weaker than they.

Freedom is neither guaranteed nor automatic; not even in the United States. Left unguarded, it can slip away like a thief in the night.

Freedom can be destroyed, not just by its retraction, but also by its abuse.

Slaves would be tyrants were the chance theirs.

Men are still men. The despot's wickedness Comes of ill teaching, and of power's excess,-- Comes of the purple he from childhood wears, Slaves would be tyrants if the chance were theirs.

Security without freedom means slavery.

It is hard to have a Southern overseer; it is worse to have a Northern one; but worst of all when you are yourself the slave-driver.

What I fear most is power with impunity. I fear abuse of power, and the power to abuse.