“If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.”

One must certainly have a perspective bigger than oneself if liberty is to be preserved....

A timeless poetic truth.

The Founding Fathers were generally wealthy men. Public (read: liberal) educators love to ignore the fact the Founders willingly risked their lives and their fortunes for a cause greater than both. Sam Adams' quote is a great call to arms to all those who cherished the God given gift of liberty.

Oh well! What would we all know about all this living in the Americas?

Powerful!

Unfortunately, George Santayana had predicted the fate of mankind when he stated that unless man learns from the mistakes of the past he is bound to repeat them (mistakes)!, and that is where the masses-r-asses, Americans stand. Take away the weapons of self-defense, from government, initiate the police-state actions of the patriot act and George Orwell times are here!

hard to understand at 10 years old!

Amen

It is the quote of that best symbolizes the determination and perseverance needed to preserve freedom and liberty.

I love the power in the words. The words command your attention!

smile.I guess there are some things that are beyond having a price put on them.

He said it all in one paragraph... One of my all-time favorite quotes.

It takes a couple readings, but it sure does grow on ya'!

If only we valued our freedom so dearly...and the fact that we can lose it in one generation that is willing to trade it for something else. Hi Hallie... Thank you for reading the words of the founders of our nation...they wanted to be free, and for their children and their children's children to be free too...and they were so disappointed when someone did not want that too for those they loved. Some things are so very important. They gave us the freedom to be all we can be. Many of them died to give that gift to us. That is what Samual Adams was saying. God bless you.

One of my favorite quotes.

My favorite quote. I only wish more Americans (especially politicians) felt this strongly about liberty today. Then we might be able to get rid of this pervasive and oppressive nanny state.

Interesting choice of words. Seems to condemn those who prefer wealth above liberty -- but today they are often practically synonymous in a real sense.

Sam Adams ~ the "John Locke" of the American Rebelion.

Samuel Adams was the genius behind the American Revolution. These words always hit me in the gut. He said this to an assembly of men among whom were those refusing to declare independence from Great Britain. Samuel Adams was not rich. He sought nothing for himself. All he ever did, he did for God, country, and posterity. He is my hero. God, grant us men like Samuel Adams.

May we once again be worthy of our Founding Fathers and what they gave for us.

An awesome quote. I have oftened wondered if their were any real Patriots left. I thought all the real men were killed in the wars. I was so encouraged to read the other comments on this quote. I pray to God that someday we will be able to take back what we have lost and that we will never forget the price that was paid by the men like Samuel Adams. Yours for God and Country.

Powerful words!! Even in our generation, if we are too lazy or too scared to stand up to fight, then we should not be called Americans.

He did a great job at being a Rebel

Liberty is having a power to choose among the alternatives. To choose to be free or to be a slave. Rather than merely being a slave. Yes, freedom comes with a price. (And sometimes pay we must.) But So is being in slavery . Lets enjoy the freedom we have and lets not forget what got us here.

Nothing short of beautiful. May our current society take head, for we have surely fulfilled the dog.

Pithy and to the point. There is a limited number of folks you'd trust to watch your back when the chips are down, especially when it comes to liberty. We have a shortage of Sam Adams types in this world.

you should give a short paragraph about each person

you should give a short paragraph about each person

So mote it be, Brother Adams!

I love this quote. It brings tears to my eyes every time I read it. I wish our country's leaders now were as honest, intense, loyal, and selfless as Samuel Adams. Instead, I don't see any similarities.

It is painful to see what his native Massachusetts has become. We need to get back to basics.

bbbbboooorrrriinnngg

cool, im am being him in a reinactment

this is the most boringest thing i have seen

Powerful

This is the essence of America!!! Those who choose America, must leave behind cultural practices and servititude to their countrymen when their very courtesies ignore and offend America's freedoms.

Samuel Adams...Father of the Revolution! I wonder what all the Founders would say to the shell that's left of our once great Constitutional Republic?!?! God help us and forgive us for our apathy.

Pay attention. This country is the middle of a shit storm and few people have realized it.

It's amazing that these words still ring true today as they did over 200 years ago.

Its all talk.

Wow.....these are profound words!!

I love this quote. It's my all time favorite from one of the greatest Americans that ever lived. It inspires me to love my liberty just like Samuel Adams did. Apathy is killing this country, and I wonder if it's time to be as bold with our words as Samuel Adams was.

Quote says a lot. We can use more Samuel Adams in our country today.

Hallie: Hi! Thank you for taking the time to respond to this quote and express your puzzlement. Let me explain Mr Adams' quote in another way. He is asking citizens to grow up and not accept everything their government offers to do for them, because there are strings attached. Imagine this. I assume you love your Mom and Dad and the things they do for you. You are given a place to stay, food and clothing and all kinds of goodies. But in return you have to do what they tell you. You're not allow to buy everything your want, only certain kinds of clothes. There are some places you are not allowed to go, some kids you are not allowed to play with. You are probably told they do this because they are your parents and know better than you do about the world. But, imagine again that you were never allowed to grow up. That your parents were always there, telling you what you can and cannot do. Never allowing you to make an important decision on your own. Making you work to pay for your keep and then taking a lot of that money that you earned away from you. That's the kind of thing Samuel Adams is talking about.

This quote is why Sam Adams is my FAVORITE!

Remember this as our national soverignty continues to be signed/given away. Watch, also, your personal soverignty.

I think this should be converted into an oath that congressmen and presidents have to swear fealty to before they can take any part in representing the people. Clearly this country has lost its soul. 3/21/2010 is a day that will live in infamy.

IF only every American could grasp this significance in his words we would all make tremendous changes. "Time beats having a job anytime"-Gio

WOW!!

CROUCH DOWN and lick the hand that feeds you... Sam was talking about LIBERALS!

If I didn't know who wrote this, I would have guessed Che Guevara.

i wanna know what the meaning and situation why these words were spoken?

Kevin and rick, obviously two morons.

(-; jim, absolutely ! ;-) being bored is a sign of a shallow and boring individual, incapable of grasping the substance relayed by the quote. Truth, honor, integrity, and responsibility are not in them and they can't recognize it when it is put in front of them, Kevin and rick are right now probably crouched down licking the hands of their feeding masters right now.

One of the best quotes ever. Wake up everybody before it to late.

Brilliant!! Indeed, the Left envies the wealth of others more than their own liberty, and do prefer the tranquility of servitude than the animating contest of freedom. They do not want to have to earn anything -- in fact they demand the right to others property and the 'sacrafice' of others.

We as Americans have to rise up and fight the tyranny from within the White House.

"the Left fiddles while America burns"- me

AUDENTES FORTUNA IUVAT
Fortune Favors the Bold

Honestly this quote means that if you aren't willing to fight for this country go home. I find this very enjoyable and powerful to the men who did stay and fight for this country rather that retreating back to their homes with their pride shattered and tails between their legs. A wonderful quote that stills applies to today!

willful ignorance,apathy and ingratitude has lead us to where we are today.rejecting theAlmighty GOD-theGOD of our founding fathers,theGOD of theHOLY BIBLE is the reason we are in such a mess.the answer to the problem is in SECOND CHRONICLES 7:14. personally,i don't think the majority will accept this promise---but ''as for me,give me liberty or give me death''.two of my ancestors fought in the revolution for our freedom and i will not betray their effort.will someone please explain this to kevin and rick,i don't have the patience.GARDE BIEN.

Is known as the "Father of the American Revolution."

The nobility of his character resounds through the generations.

An American Colossus.

An outstanding message to the current Washington establishment/swamp (most of the Democrat party; R.I.N.O.s like John McCain, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, et al; the progressive elitists past and present; and most of all the main- stream media and their enablers in academia).

"If ye love wealth greater than liberty the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace.  We seek not your counsel nor your arms.  Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you, may your chains set lightly upon you and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen"

I believe this to be the correct version; as one of his decedents it is how we were taught to recite it.

At this point I will not contest that money is the root of all evil, but if you cultivate your earnings carefully it will not poison you.