Patrick HenryPatrick Henry, (1736-1799) US Founding Father

Patrick Henry Quote

“Let Mr. Madison tell me when did liberty ever exist when the sword and the purse were given up from the people? Unless a miracle shall interpose, no nation ever did, nor ever can retain its liberty after the loss of the sword and the purse.”

Patrick HenryPatrick Henry
~ Patrick Henry

3 J. Elliot, The Debates In The Several States Conventions On The Adoption Of The Federal Constitution 168-69 (1836 Reprinted 1941).

Ratings and Comments


H Rearden, Burr Ridge IL

How very prescient of Parick Henry. He must be rolling over in his grave at what our nation has become.

Mike, Norwalk

AMEN, AMEN, AND AMEN. ABSOLUTELY ! ! ! We hold this this truth to be self evident ! ! ! History has but once more proven this quote's accuracy. The occupying statist theocracy that infests this land, with its non - "We The People" fiat and, anti-Second Amendment canons demonstrate once again liberty's nonexistence

jim k, Austin, Tx

Taxes and gun control and no more liberty.

Scott Kuehne, Margate

Good stuff! the right to bear arms is the right that secures all the others man has. Furthermore, without personal property, you are a dependant who is at the mercy of your benefactor.

E Archer, NYC

The easiest way to steal from the People is to replace real money with interest-bearing debt -- we have absolutely lost control of the purse, and dare I say the powers-that-be would just LOVE an armed rebellion to justify complete disarmament of the people.

Mike, Norwalk

The occupying statist theocracy infesting this land is at war with the sovereign 'We The People' (the lovers of law, order, justice, freedom, liberty and individual inalienable rights). Legislated, and otherwise, dogmas (religious sacraments, compelled compliance, license, victimless crimes, larceny with impunity, and all other forms of violence - fiscal / physical - and noble man violation) support the accuracy of Patrick Henry's statement. The war between the States demonstrated the statist theocracy's need to dominate with a sword while 1913 began the hard core theft of the purse (violent enforcement of the 2nd plank of the communist manifesto and debt replacing money).

E Archer, NYC

The mistake is to think the government can or will do anything about it -- it is not their problem, it is the source of immense power! The solution rests with the People! Always has. But an armed rebellion is the wrong way to go.

Money is merely a tool to facilitate trade. It is in the MARKETPLACE where the money is created by mutual agreement between all the buyers and sellers. They all agree to use a particular token that is issued to represent the product being sold. For example, Amazon is a marketplace. Amazon could issue tokens in exchange for sellers coupons for their products. Buyers are also sellers in that they trade their labors. Money is merely a certificate for something of value. The players in the market will determine my trustworthiness to deliver on the certificates I issue for my services/products. The issuer can agree to certify your promises based on what you have delivered previously in order to determine the level of risk. If you take a marketplace as big as Amazon, it may be possible to buy everything you need there. If I produce something I can sell on Amazon for which I may trade for other products and services on Amazon, then it is balanced. And here is the thing: if I do not produce enough product or services to trade for the things I need to survive and flourish in this life, I will die -- understood? I must produce! And the blessing of a free society would offer a marketplace where I can trade goods and services.

Gold and silver coins have been the traditional form of money since it is hard to counterfeit and is non-perishable. But a certificate for gold or silver is just as good -- IF the issuer is trustworthy. The punishment for debasing the coin of the USA is DEATH. (Don't worry, no one has been punished under this ever.)

What I am getting at is that like Bitcoin, the people can come up with their own forms of currency. All that is needed is a marketplace in which to trade in that currency. Cash registers should be outfitted to accept Euros, Canadian, and even gold and silver coins. In Guatemala, multiple currencies are accepted. Gradually we should phase out the use of US dollars so that when the currency does crash, the other trading avenues will already exist. Texas is building their own gold depository -- why can't a county do the same and issue 'gold cards' based on a Bitcoin-like security? You could use them just like a credit/debit card, and your gold is converted into the currency used for the transaction (USD, Euro, CAN). Then if/when the currency crashes, your bank balance will rise in proportion. It is time to take responsibility -- the government is not going to 'solve' this -- it is working perfectly 100% for them. Figure it out!

Mike, Norwalk

Archer, I tried the gold / silver backed card. It was based on smart card technology (Visa, Master Card, etc.) Merchants, manufacturers and private parties all went crazy over it. I don't think any of our salesmen found one party that didn't want to participate. People were buying groceries, clothes and fuel with gold by a swipe of a card. Government stepped in and killed it - rather harshly - a very long story. Statute was not on their side but that didn't matter - they have the corrupt courts, badges with guns and all else needed to threaten and destroy. I understand now that Utah is the only State that has legislated gold and silver coin to be acceptable legal and lawful currency. Maybe it is a start?

E Archer, NYC

It is positively criminal that those who have re-introduced gold and silver coinage for use as money have had their gold and silver seized and charged with counterfeiting because the Constitution says that only the federal government has the authority to mint gold and silver coin. But since the government has ceased to permit the actual USE of gold and silver coins for buying and selling, we are damned if we do and damned if we don't. The founders of the Liberty dollar have had their entire stock seized on trumped up counterfeiting charges. Most of the charges have been dropped, but individual holders of the Liberty coins have to prove their claim to them. The rest is still being held. Just goes to show how far we have come to realizing that we are but chattel, barely even serfs on our own land, paying for our servitude -- it's a nice sort of slavery for those that acquiesce quietly, but the 'troublemakers' are dealt with harshly as an example to the rest. But I do believe the hypocrisy and deception cannot last forever...

E Archer, NYC

Producers/manufacturers can 'loan' themselves money interest-free by issuing coupons for their services, like phone cards, for example. They are as good as money, right? Why? Because we can count on AT&T to deliver according to the terms of the coupon, and I have need of telephone services. But I could trade that phone card for items at the grocery store, if the grocer will accept the phone card as payment -- the grocer could then re-sell the card (give it as change even) or use it to pay his AT&T bill, which then completes the life cycle of that phone card. The 'money' was created, used to facilitate a few trades -- the more the better! -- and then is redeemed by the issuer. What if we pooled the phone cards of 20 different phone companies, and all the other coupons issued for products that are in demand, producers get 'financing' on-the-fly, and the buyers don't have to accept clipped coins that keep getting smaller after every transaction.

Utah may be headed in the right direction -- definitely, if we want our power back, it is going to have to be state by state -- and that means county by county until then. Local currencies issued by municipal governments could be issued in lieu of taking out bank loans -- those that wish to support county government services can choose to honor the notes and trade with them. No one can be forced to accept them instead of USD's. Several counties throughout the US and Canada have implemented local currencies for use in local businesses. Bitcoin is even being accepted for the payment of government services in some counties. It is happening!

Editor, Liberty Quotes

E Archer, you are not that far off - I discovered recently that Amazon has already begun offering Amazon credits for used smart phones, which is essentially creating money for a marketplace. You are right, it is happening. I can 'sell' my iPhone to Amazon (which they then resell) and buy something else with the Amazon credits. I am not sure what else Amazon will 'trade-in' but as long as Amazon knows the demand and supply, it can make fairly safe bets on accepting trade-ins. Having said that, you may soon start seeing some Amazon ads on this site to trade-in products. Cheers!

Al, DC
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Al, DC    3/26/19

"Federal" Reserve notes are not Constitutional money.

Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown

These aforementioned devices, weaponry and greed, contribute to our alienation with our fellows, as well as to ourselves. We must cast these alienating devices aside and boldly decide to support our existence on the strength of the coordinated word and the following reasoned based actions.

Mike, Norwalk
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Mike, Norwalk Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown 4/17/23

Sillik, your disagreement with Patrick Henry is an historical realization that a brutal enslavement by tyrannical governments (monarchies, socialism, etc.) is the natural consequence and result of individual sovereigns, living with nature's law. Historically, such enslavement occurs when individuals give up their tools of defense; and, allow a financial system to be taken over by a social organization in which the individual's religion, ownership of land and the means of producing and distributing goods by a centralized government or otherwise ruling oligarchy.

ABBY
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ABBY    4/17/23

Of course, our sword today is our arms which the administration wishes to remove, and the government has its hands so deep into our purses our unborn great grandchildren are sobbing for liberty which won't exist when they arrive. s

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