Ezra Stiles

Besides a happy policy as to civil government, it is necessary to institute a system of law and jurisprudence founded in justice, equity, and public right. ”

In justice to human society it may perhaps be said of almost all the polities and civil institutions in the world, however imperfect, that they have been founded in and carried on with very considerable wisdom. ”

All the forms of civil polity have been tried by mankind, except one, and that seems to have been reserved in Providence to be realized in America. ”

But a multitude of people, even the two hundred million of the Chinese empire, cannot subsist without civil government. ”

The right of conscience and private judgment is unalienable, and it is truly the interest of all mankind to unite themselves into one body for the liberty, free exercise, and unmolested enjoyment of this right. ”

The British merchants represented that they received some profit indeed from Virginia and South Carolina, as well as the West Indies; but as for the rest of this continent, they were constant losers in trade. ”

It gives me pleasure to find that public liberty is effectually secured in each and all the policies of the United States, though somewhat differently modeled. ”

The constitutions of Maryland and New York are founded in higher wisdom. ”

A monarchy conducted with infinite wisdom and infinite benevolence is the most perfect of all possible governments. ”

The greater part of the governments on earth may be termed monarchical aristocracies, or hereditary dominions independent of the people. ”