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I would never have drawn my sword in the cause of America, if I could have conceived that thereby I was founding a land of slavery.

— Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette

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More quotes by Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette

Humanity has gained its suit; Liberty will nevermore be without an asylum.

Letter to friends (1780)

Liberty consists in the freedom to do everything which injures no one else; hence the exercise of the natural rights of each man has no limits except those which assure to the other members of the society the enjoyment of the same rights.

Declaration of the Rights of Man (1789)

True republicanism is the sovereignty of the people. There are natural and imprescriptible rights which an entire nation has no right to violate, just as national sovereignty is above the secondary agreements of the government.

I read, I study, I examine, I listen, I reflect, and out of all of this I try to form an idea into which I put as much common sense as I can.

An irresistible passion that would induce me to believe in innate ideas, and the truth of prophecy, has decided my career. I have always loved liberty with the enthusiasm which actuates the religious man with the passion of a lover, and with the conviction of a geometrician.

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The Autocrat of all the Russias will resign his crown, and proclaim his subjects free republicans sooner than will our American masters voluntarily give up their slaves.

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Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.