"Democratic communities have a natural taste for freedom: left to themselves they will seek it, cherish it, and view any deprivation of it with regret. But for equality their passion is ardent, insatiable, incessant, invincible: they call for equality in freedom; and if they cannot obtain that, they still call for equality in slavery."

"Every central government worships uniformity: uniformity relieves it from inquiry into an infinity of details, which must be attended to if rules have to be adapted to different men, instead of indiscriminately subjecting all men to the same rule."

"Trade is the natural enemy of all violent passions because it loves moderation, delights in compromise an is most careful to avoid anger."

"We succeed in enterprises which demand the positive qualities we possess, but we excel in those which can also make use of our defects."