George Mason

“I ask, sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people, except for a few public officials.”

“That all men are by nature equally free and independent, and have certain inherent rights... namely, the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety.”

“The freedom of the press is one of the great bulwarks of liberty, and can never be restrained but by despotic governments.”

“To disarm the people... is the most effectual way to enslave them.”

“Slavery is a slow poison, which is daily contaminating the minds and morals of our people.”

“As nations cannot be rewarded or punished in the next world, they must be in this. By an inevitable chain of causes and effects, Providence punishes national sins by national calamities.”

“There is no Declaration of Rights, and the laws of the general government being paramount to the laws and constitution of the several States, the Declarations of Rights in the separate States are no security.”

“The laws of nature are the laws of God, whose authority can be superseded by no power on earth.”

“All men are born equally free and independent.”

“We came equals into this world, and equals shall we go out of it.”

“The augmentation of slaves weakens the states; and such a trade is diabolical in itself, and disgraceful to mankind.”

“I begin to grow heartily tired of the etiquette and nonsense so fashionable in this city.”

“To make mild laws against frail humanity is to show wisdom and moderation.”