Liberty Is Not The Power Of Doing

Liberty, Next To Religion Has Been The Motive Of Good Deeds And The Common Pretext Of Crime, From The Sowing Of The Seed At Athens, 2,460 Years Ago, Until The Ripened Harvest Was Gathered By Men Of Our Race. It Is The Delicate Fruit Of A Mature Civilization; And Scarcely A Century Has Passed Since Nations, That Knew The Meaning Of The Term, Resolved To Be Free. In Every Age Its Progress Has Been Beset By Its Natural Enemies, By Ignorance And Superstition, By Lust Of Conquest And By Love Of Ease, By The Strong Man's Craving For Power, And The Poor Man's Craving For Food.

Liberty Is The Prevention Of Control By Others. This Requires Self-control And, Therefore, Religious And Spiritual Influences; Education, Knowledge, Well-being.

By Liberty I Mean The Assurance That Every Man Shall Be Protected In Doing What He Believes To Be His Duty Against The Influences Of Authority And Majorities, Custom And Opinion.

Monarchy Hardens Into Despotism. Aristocracy Contracts Into Oligarchy. Democracy Expands Into The Supremacy Of Numbers.

Live Both In The Future And The Past. Who Does Not Live In The Past Does Not Live In The Future.