Juan Pablo Duarte’s words to live by…and die for

Santo Domingo.- Juan Pablo Duarte, founder ofthe Dominican Republic, was born on January 26,1813.

Together with Matías Ramón Mella andFrancisco del Rosario Sanchez, Duarte began the process that liberated thenational territory after 22 years of Haitian occupation, on February 27, 1844.

To mark the important date newspaper El Dia highlightssome of his most celebrated phrases:

"Our country must be free andindependent of any foreign power or the island sinks."

"God should grant me enough strength notto descend to the grave without leaving my country free, independent andtriumphant."

"There are words that because of theideas they reveal attract our attention and attract our sympathies towards thebeings that pronounce them."

"Let us work with and for our country,which is to work for our children and for ourselves."

"The Government must be fair and energetic… Or we will not have Nation and consequently neither freedom nor nationalindependence."

"The slave withstands his fate despitethat his sad life shames him; But the free prefers death to the shame of such anexistence."

"To live without Homeland, is the sameas to live without honor."

"How sad, long and tired, howdistressing path, the Divine Entity points out to the unfortunate exile."

"The Nation is obliged to preserve andprotect by means of wise and just laws, the personal, civil and individualfreedom as well as the property and other legitimate rights of all theindividuals that compose it."