Thomas Jefferson Memorial

On the panel of the northwest interior wall is an excerpt from "A Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom, 1777", except for the last sentence, which is taken from a letter of August 28, 1789, to James Madison:^{[citation needed]}

Almighty God hath created the mind free...All attempts to influence it by temporal punishments or burthens...are a departure from the plan of the Holy Author of our religion...No man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship or ministry or shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief, but all men shall be free to profess and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion.

I know but one code of morality for men whether acting singly or collectively.

The quotes from the panel of the northeast interior wall are from multiple sources. The first sentence, beginning "God who gave...", is from "A Summary View of the Rights of British America".^{[citation needed]} The second, third and fourth sentences are from Notes on the State of Virginia.^{[citation needed]} The fifth sentence, beginning "Nothing is more...", is from Jefferson's autobiography.^{[citation needed]} The sixth sentence, beginning "Establish the law...", is from an August 13, 1790, letter to George Wythe.^{[citation needed]} The final sentence is from a letter of January 4, 1786, to George Washington:^{[citation needed]}

God who gave us life gave us liberty.

Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that his justice cannot sleep forever. Commerce between master and slave is despotism.

Nothing is more certainly written in the book of fate than these people are to be free.

Establish the law for educating the common people.

This it is the business of the state to effect and on a general plan.

Most prominent are the words which are inscribed in a frieze below the dome: (This sentence is taken from a September 23, 1800, letter by Jefferson to Dr. Benjamin Rush wherein he defends the constitutional refusal to recognize a state religion.)

"I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man."