[ Responding to skepticism about the usefulness of the first balloon flights :] What good is a new-born baby?

[ After the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention, when asked by a woman, “Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” :] A republic, if you can keep it.

The King of France’s Picture set with Four hundred and Eight Diamonds, I give to my Daughter Sarah Bache requesting however that she would not form any of those Diamonds into Ornaments either for herself or Daughters and thereby introduce or countenance the expensive vain and useless Fashion of wearing Jewels in this Country.

Our new Constitution is now established, and has an appearance that promises permanency; but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.

Painters had found it difficult to distinguish in their art a rising from a setting sun. I have often and often in the course of the Session [ of the Constitutional Convention], and the vicissitudes of my hopes and fears as to its issue, looked at that [sun painted] behind the [chair of the] President without being able to tell whether it was rising or setting: but now at length I have the happiness to know that it is a rising and not a setting Sun.

That it is better 100 guilty Persons should escape than that one innocent Person should suffer, is a Maxim that has been long and generally approved.

The grand Leap of the Whale in that Chace up the Fall of Niagara is esteemed by all who have seen it, as one of the finest Spectacles in Nature!

I wish the bald eagle had not been chosen as the representative of our country. . . . The turkey . . . is a much more respectable bird.

Old Boys have their Playthings as well as Young

8th and lastly. They are so grateful!!