"Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty," is a famous quote first spoken by which American in 1852?

The exact words of this famous American quote has been mistakenly attributed to many individuals. It was first spoken by the American abolitionist Wendell Phillips when he was speaking to members of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society on January 28, 1852.

Phillips was born in 1811 and died in 1884. He was an attorney, orator, abolitionist and advocate for Native Americans. He was schooled at the Boston Latin School and graduated from Harvard Univeristy in 1831, then from Harvard Law School in 1833. After being converted to the abolitionist cause by William Lloyd Garrison, a newspaper writer, Phillips stopped practicing law in order to dedicate himself to the movement.

According to Jefferson scholars there is no evidence to confirm that Thomas Jefferson ever said or wrote these words or any of its variants. Also, it has been mistakenly attributed to an Irish lawyer and politician John Philpot Curren. Also Thomas Charlton said "The price of liberty is eternal vigilance." Similar but not exactly the same.

Monument with the exact quote is located in Washington, D.C. in front of The National Archives Museum.

More Info: www.thisdayinquotes.com

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5 Comments

Rebecca Del Medico

From https://www.monticello.org/site/blog-and-community/posts/eternal-vigilance After two days of ridiculously feverish searching, I’ve traced the purported Phillips version of this quote all the way back to 1809. (For the record, Mr. Phillips was -2 years old at that time.) And it seems fairly clear to me that this source is repeating something that was already well-known by then, and therefore of even older vintage. In fact, the 1809 source even puts the phrase in quotes. The reference appears in The Life of Major General James Jackson (yes, my favorite book too!), in a passage where the author is talking about Jackson returning to his home turf to help repeal laws under which Georgia land had been speculated away: The biographer approaches the subject with loathing, impelled to it by the obligations he has assumed. His painful duty will be comparatively light if he can convince himself that his succinct presentation of the speculation shall have the least effect in fastening upon the minds of the American people the belief that, “the price of liberty is eternal vigilance”… I’ve discovered a whole string of quite famous people who did say this, which makes it seem even odder that the attribution got pinned on a relatively obscure figure like Phillips. Andrew Jackson said this in his farewell speech in 1837. James Buchanan said this in a speech on veto power in 1842. Frederick Douglass apparently said this enough to warrant discussion in this book on Frederick Douglass’ proverbial rhetoric, which Google won’t let me see.

Richard D. Boyle

Rebecca Del Medico, I read the results of your research with great interest and I thank you for having added to my fund of knowledge. However, it’s not the same quote. It’s certainly the same idea and uses the same words but not in the same order. It does not, therefore, satisfy the requirements of a “quote”. It is, in fact, a different quote. Same meaning. Just as good. Much earlier…a quote is a quote and the latter one is the one that has captured the attention of history and has become associated with the ACLU since it’s founding in the early 20th Century. I’m sure there are better examples, but this is akin to saying “America of the United States” or “Under God One Nation.” I appreciate the time and the work you have invested and the fact that you have taken this question seriously. However, in terms of an exact quote, I don’t believe that your research requires us to label the Beowulf answer as “wrong.” Best wishes for your health and safety.

tbear

Went to majority vote but didn't agree because Thomas Jefferson wasn't around any longer in 1852 so took a chance on Wendell Phillips! For once I listened to my gut! 😊👍 This might turn into a good day!