"Is the relinquishment of the trial by jury and the liberty of the press necessary for your liberty? Will the abandonment of your most sacred rights tend to the security of your liberty? Liberty, the greatest of all earthly blessings — give us that precious jewel, and you may take every thing else!… Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect every one who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined."

--Patrick Henry (29 May 1736 - 6 June 1799)

Henry's speech in the Virginia Ratifying Convention, 1788

(full text) https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Henry%27s_speech_in_the_Virginia_Ratifying_Convention

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Henry

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