لمّا رأيتُ شعوب الأمم الأخرى منحنية إلى الأرض تحت حروب حكامها وإسرافهم، آثرتُ نقيضها: السلم، والاقتصاد، والتخلّص من الدين العام، معتقدًا أن هذه هي الطريق السريعة إلى الازدهار والسعادة، للأمة كما للفرد.

“Having seen the people of all other nations bowed down to the earth under the wars and prodigalities of their rulers, I have cherished their opposites, peace, economy, and riddance of public debt, believing that these were the high road to public as well as private prosperity and happiness.”Thomas Jefferson — The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private : Published by the Order of the Joint Committee of Congress on the Library, from the Original Manuscripts, Deposited in the Department of State (1854)