Thursday, July 2, 2009

Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, John Hancock

Outside Independence Hall when
the Constitutional Convention of 1787 ended,
Mrs. Powel of Philadelphia asked Benjamin Franklin,
"Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?"
With no hesitation whatsoever, Franklin responded,
"A republic, if you can keep it."
-- Benjamin Franklin
(1706-1790) US Founding Father
1787
Source: as recorded by Constitution signer James McHenry in a diary entry.
http://quotes.liberty-tree.ca/quote_blog/Benjamin.Franklin.Quote.21EA


"I answered that the die was now cast; I had passed the Rubicon.
Swim or sink, live or die, survive or perish with my country
was my unalterable determination."
-- John Adams
(1735-1826) Founding Father, 2nd US President
Source: Mr. Adams, describing a conversation with Jonathan Sewall in 1774, Ref: Webster's Works, vol. iv. p. 8.
http://quotes.liberty-tree.ca/quote_blog/John.Adams.Quote.A6CD


"There, I guess King George will be able to read that."
-- John Hancock
(1737-1793) American merchant, statesman, and prominent Patriot of the American Revolution, Scholar President of the Continental Congress (1775-1777), governor of Massachussets, first signer of the Declaration of Independence, remembered for his large and stylish signature on the Declaration of Independence
Source: Remark on signing American Declaration of Independence
http://quotes.liberty-tree.ca/quote_blog/John.Hancock.Quote.8CD5

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