"It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself"

This quote by Thomas Jefferson talks to the power of truth and the need for government to support error. Jefferson is recommending that reality is strong enough to stand on its own, without the requirement for government assistance. He is indicating that fact is self-evident and does not need external validation. On the other hand, mistake requires the support of federal government in order to be accepted as reality. This is because error is not self-evident and needs external recognition in order to be accepted as fact. Jefferson is suggesting that federal government needs to not be used to support error, but need to instead be used to support fact. This quote speaks to the significance of fact and the requirement for government to be utilized to support fact, instead of error.