In honor of his birthday, here are a few favorite quotes.
“[W]e may define a republic to be…a government which derives all its powers directly or indirectly from the great body of the people, and is administered by persons holding their offices during pleasure, for a limited period, or during good behavior…”
Federalist No. 39
“The accumulation of all powers,
legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a
few, or many, and whether hereditary, self appointed, or elective, may justly
be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.” Federalist No. 47
“Ambition must be made to
counteract ambition. The interest of the man must be connected with the
constitutional rights of the place. It may be a reflection on human nature, that
such devices should be necessary to control the abuses of government. But what
is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If
men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern
men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary.
In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great
difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the
governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.” Federalist No. 51
“The "Federalist" may fairly enough be regarded as
the most authentic exposition of the text of the federal Constitution as
understood by the Body [Constitutional Convention] which prepared & and the
Authorities [state ratifying conventions] which accepted it.” Letter to Thomas Jefferson,
February 8, 1825 (Peterson, 1974, 2. page 383)
“If Congress can do whatever in
their discretion can be done by money, and will promote the General Welfare,
the Government is no longer a limited one, possessing enumerated powers, but an
indefinite one, subject to particular exceptions.” Letter to Edmund Pendleton, January 21, 1792 (Madison, I, page 546)
“The government of the United
States is a definite government, confined to specified objects. It is not like
the state governments, whose powers are more general. Charity is no part of the
legislative duty of the government.” Speech, House of Representatives (January
10, 1794)
“To provide employment for the poor, and support for the
indigent, is among the primary, and, at the same time, not least difficult
cares of the public authority.” Letter to Reverend F.C. Schaeffer, January 8, 1820 (Madison, III, page 162)
“The aim of every political
constitution is, or ought to be, first to obtain for rulers men who possess
most wisdom to discern, and most virtue to pursue, the common good of the
society; and in the next place, to take the most effectual precautions for
keeping them virtuous whilst they continue to hold their public trust.” Federalist No. 57
“I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the
freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power,
than by violent and sudden usurpations …” Speech at the Virginia Convention to
ratify the Federal Constitution (June 6, 1788)
“[T]he right of freely examining
public characters and measures, and of free communication among the people
thereon…has ever been justly deemed the only effectual guardian of every other
right.” Virginia Resolutions, 1798
“[T]o the press alone; checkered as it is with abuses, the
world is indebted for all the triumphs which have been gained by reason and
humanity over error and oppression.” Madison's Report on the Virginia Resolutions (in the American Memory Collection
of the Library of Congress)
“[T]he advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess
over the people of almost every other nation, the existence of subordinate
governments, to which the people are attached, and by which the militia
officers are appointed, forms a barrier against the enterprises of ambition,
more insurmountable than any which a simple government of any form can admit
of. Notwithstanding the military establishments in the several kingdoms of
Europe, which are carried as far as the public resources will bear, the
governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.” Federalist No. 46
“A popular Government, without
popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce
or a tragedy; or, perhaps, both. Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a
people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power
which knowledge gives.” Letter
to W. T. Barry, August 4, 1822 (Madison, III, page 276
“Liberty and Learning; both best supported
when leaning each on the other.” Letter to W. T. Barry, August 4, 1822 (Madison, III, page 279)
“[W]e hold it for a fundamental and
undeniable truth, "that religion or the duty which we owe to our Creator
and the manner of discharging it, can be directed only by reason and
conviction, not by force or violence." Memorial and Remonstrance, 1785
“Among the features peculiar to the
political system of the United States, is the perfect equality of rights which
it secures to every religious sect…Equal laws, protecting equal rights, are
found, as they ought to be presumed, the best guarantee of loyalty and love of
country; as well as best calculated to cherish that mutual respect and good
will among citizens of every religious denomination which are necessary to
social harmony, and most favorable to the advancement of truth.” Letter to Dr. De La Motta, August 1820 (Madison, 1865, III, pages 178-179)
“Conscience
is the most sacred of all property …” "Property," March 27, 1792 (Madison, IV, page 478)
“The belief in a God All Powerful wise and good, is so
essential to the moral order of the world and to the happiness of man, that
arguments which enforce it cannot be drawn from too many sources nor adapted
with too much solicitude to the different characters and capacities to be
impressed with it.” Letter to Rev.
Frederick Beasley (November 20, 1825)
_____________________________
Madison refers to “Madison, James, Letters and Other
Writings of James Madison, Published by order of Congress. 4 volumes. Compiled by William Cabell Rives. Edited by Philip R. Fendall (Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1865).”
No comments:
Post a Comment