There is nothing more unequal than the equal treatment of unequal people.
All should be laid open to you without reserve, for there is not a truth existing which I fear, or would wish unknown to the whole world.
I was bold in the pursuit of knowledge, never fearing to follow truth and reason to whatever results they led.
It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself.
And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.
Honesty is the first chapter of the book wisdom.
May it [American independence] be to the world, what I believe it will be, (to some parts sooner, to others later, but finally to all,) the signal of arousing men to burst the chains under which monkish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves, and to assume the blessings and security of self-government. That form which we have substituted, restores the free right to the unbounded exercise of reason and freedom of opinion. All eyes are opened, or opening, to the rights of man. The general spread of the light of science has already laid open to every view the palpable truth, that the mass of mankind has not been born with saddles on their backs, nor a favored few booted and spurred, ready to ride them legitimately... These are grounds of hope for others. For ourselves, let the annual return of this day forever refresh our recollections of these rights, and an undiminished devotion to them.]
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