Alexander Hamilton Quotes - Page 9

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• To presume a want of motives for such contests . . . would be to forget that men are ambitious, vindictive, and rapacious.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Men, Ambitious, Would Be

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (2004). “The Federalist Papers”, p.30, Simon and Schuster

  14 Copy quote

• The awful discretion, which a court of impeachments must necessarily have, to doom to honor or to infamy the most confidential and the most distinguished characters of the community, forbids the commitment of the trust to a small number of persons.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Character, Commitment, Small Numbers

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (2003). “The Federalist: With Letters of Brutus”, p.319, Cambridge University Press

  15 Copy quote

• Government implies the power of making laws. It is essential to the idea of a law, that it be attended with a sanction; or, in other words, a penalty or punishment for disobedience.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Government, Law, Punishment

  The Federalist no. 15 (1788)

  5 Copy quote

• By multiplying the means of gratification, by promoting the introduction and circulation of the precious metals, those darling objects of human avarice and enterprise, it serves to vivify and invigorate the channels of industry, and to make them flow with greater activity and copiousness. The assiduous merchant, the laborious husbandman, the active mechanic, and the industrious manufacturer,-all orders of men, look forward with eager expectation and growing alacrity to this pleasing reward of their toils.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Mean, Men, Order

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (2015). “The Federalist Papers: A Collection of Essays Written in Favour of the New Constitution”, p.58, Coventry House Publishing

  7 Copy quote

• Take mankind in general, they are vicious-their passions may be operated upon.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Passion, May, Human Nature

  Alexander Hamilton (1962). “Jan.1787-May 1788”

  6 Copy quote

• The desire of reward is one of the strongest incentives of human conduct; ... the best security for the fidelity of mankind is to make their interest coincide with their duty.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Motivation, Desire, Incentives

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (2015). “The Federalist Papers: A Collection of Essays Written in Favour of the New Constitution”, p.355, Coventry House Publishing

  8 Copy quote

• The great leading objects of the federal government, in which revenue is concerned, are to maintain domestic peace, and provide for the common defense.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Government, Defense, Conservative

  Alexander Hamilton, John Church Hamilton (1850). “The Works of Alexander Hamilton: Miscellanies, 1774-1789: A full vindication; The farmer refuted; Quebec bill; Resolutions in Congress; Letters from Phocion; New-York Legislature, etc”, p.456

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• This [a state militia system] appears to me the only substitute that can be devised for a standing army, and the best possible security against it, if it should exist.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Army, Second Amendment, Right To Bear Arms

  John Church Hamilton, Alexander Hamilton (1860). “History of the Republic of the United States of America: As Traced in the Writings of Alexander Hamilton and of His Contemporaries”, p.140

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• The voice of the people has been said to be the voice of God; and, however generally this maxim has been quoted and believed, it is not true to fact. The people are turbulent and changing, they seldom judge or determine right.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Voice, People, Judging

  Alexander Hamilton (1962). “Jan.1787-May 1788”

  11 Copy quote

• Necessity, especially in politics, often occasions false hopes, false reasonings, and a system of measures, correspondingly erroneous.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Human Nature, False Hope, Occasions

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (2007). “The Federalist Papers”, p.257, Filiquarian Publishing, LLC.

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• When occasions present themselves, in which the interests of the people are at variance with their inclinations, it is the duty of the persons whom they have appointed to be the guardians of those interests, to withstand the temporary delusion, in order to give them time and opportunity for more cool and sedate reflection.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Reflection, Opportunity, Order

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (2003). “The Federalist: With Letters of Brutus”, p.349, Cambridge University Press

  7 Copy quote

• The changes in the human condition are uncertain and frequent. Many, on whom fortune has bestowed her favours, may trace their family to a more unprosperous station; and many who are now in obscurity, may look back upon the affluence and exalted rank of their ancestors.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Affluence, Favour, Obscurity

  Alexander Hamilton, Donald R. Hickey, Connie D. Clark (2006). “Citizen Hamilton: The Wit and Wisdom of an American Founder”, p.142, Rowman & Littlefield

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• Let experience, the least fallible guide of human opinion, be appealed to for an answer to these inquiries.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Public Opinion, Inquiry, Answers

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, Quentin P. Taylor, John Jay (1998). “The Essential Federalist: A New Reading of the Federalist Papers”, p.56, Rowman & Littlefield

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• Establish that a Government may decline a provision for its debts, though able to make it, and you overthrow all public morality, you unhinge all the principles that must preserve the limits of free constitutions.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Government, Principles, Debt

  Alexander Hamilton (1973). “Papers”

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• The only constitutional exception to the power of making treaties is, that it shall not change the Constitution.… On natural principles, a treaty, which should manifestly betray or sacrifice primary interests of the state, would be null.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Sacrifice, Principles, Would Be

  7 Copy quote

• The same state of the passions which fits the multitude, who have not a sufficient stock of reason and knowledge to guide them, for opposition to tyranny and oppression, very naturally leads them to a contempt and disregard of all authority.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Passion, Human Nature, Fit

  Alexander Hamilton, Donald R. Hickey, Connie D. Clark (2006). “Citizen Hamilton: The Wit and Wisdom of an American Founder”, p.100, Rowman & Littlefield

  8 Copy quote

• It is impossible to read the history of the petty republics of Greece and Italy without feeling sensations of horror and disgust at the distractions with which they were continually agitated, and at the rapid succession of revolutions by which they were kept in a state of perpetual vibration between the extremes of tyranny and anarchy . . . great improvement . . . were either not known at all, or imperfectly known to the ancients.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Education, Feelings, Republic

  "The 100 best nonfiction books: No 81 - The Federalist Papers by 'Publius' (1788)" by Robert McCrum, www.theguardian.com. August 21, 2017.

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• It may safely be received as an axiom in our political system, that the state governments will in all possible contingencies afford complete security against invasions of the public liberty by the national authority.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Government, Political, Liberty

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (2016). “The Federalist Papers and the Constitution of the United States: The Principles of the American Government”, p.151, Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.

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• How can you trust people who are poor and own no property? ... Inequality of property will exist as long as liberty exists.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Long, People, Liberty

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• Law is defined to be a rule of action; but how can that be a rule, which is little known and less fixed?

  Alexander Hamilton

  Law, Littles, Action

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, Quentin P. Taylor, John Jay (1998). “The Essential Federalist: A New Reading of the Federalist Papers”, p.79, Rowman & Littlefield

  8 Copy quote

• The deliberative sense of the community should govern.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Community, Should

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• I go further, and affirm that bills of rights, in the sense and to the extent in which they are contended for, are not only unnecessary in the proposed Constitution, but would even be dangerous. They would contain various exceptions to powers not granted; and on this very account, would afford a colorable pretext to claim more than were granted. For why declare that things shall not be done which there is no power to do?

  Alexander Hamilton

  Rights, Done, Bills

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (2016). “The Federalist Papers and the Constitution of the United States: The Principles of the American Government”, p.459, Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.

  8 Copy quote

• Let Americans disdain to be the instruments of European greatness! Let the thirteen States, bound together in a strict and indissoluble Union, concur in erecting one great American system, superior to the control of all transatlantic force or influence, and able to dictate the terms of the connection between the old and the new world!

  Alexander Hamilton

  Greatness, Together, Connections

  The Federalist no. 11 (1788)

  8 Copy quote

• The President, and government, will only control the militia when a part of them is in the actual service of the federal government, else, they are independent and not under the command of the president or the government. The states would control the militia, only when called out into the service of the state, and then the governor would be commander in chief where enumerated in the respective state constitution.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Independent, Government, President

  "The Federalist Papers". Book by Alexander Hamilton, essay No. 69, 1787 - 1788.

  8 Copy quote

• [Imeachable conduct is] misconduct by public men, or, in other words, from the abuse or violation of some public trust.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Men, Abuse, Violation

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