James Madison Quotes - Page 10

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• If this spirit shall ever be so far debased, as to tolerate a law not obligatory on the legislature, as well as on the people, the people will be prepared to tolerate any thing but liberty.

  James Madison

  Freedom, Law, People

  James Madison, Ralph Ketcham “Selected Writings of James Madison”, Hackett Publishing

  7 Copy quote

• It is sufficiently obvious, that persons and property are the two great subjects on which Governments are to act; and that the rights of persons, and the rights of property, are the objects, for the protection of which Government was instituted. These rights cannot well be separated.

  James Madison

  Rights, Government, Two

  James Madison, Ralph Ketcham “Selected Writings of James Madison”, Hackett Publishing

  7 Copy quote

• Whilst we assert for ourselves a freedom to embrace, to profess and observe the Religion which we believe to be of divine origin, we cannot deny equal freedom to those whose minds have not yet yielded to the evidence which has convinced us. If this freedom be abused, it is an offense against God, not against man:To God, therefore, not to man, must an account of it be rendered.

  James Madison

  Believe, Men, Mind

  James Madison (1819). “Religious Freedom. A memorial and remonstrance drawn by ... J. Madison, late President of the United States, ... against the general assessment in “a Bill establishing provision for the teachers of the Christian religion, presented to the General Assembly of Virginia, at the session of 1785. Extracted from Benedict's History of the Baptist Denomination.””, p.7

  5 Copy quote

• Liberty is to faction, what air is to fire, an aliment without which it instantly expires. But it could not be a less folly to abolish liberty, which is essential to political life, because it nourishes faction, than it would be to wish the annihilation of air, which is essential to animal life, because it imparts to fire its destructive agency.

  James Madison

  Freedom, Animal, Fire

  The Federalist no. 10 (1788)

  83 Copy quote

• The happy Union of these States is a wonder; their Constitution a miracle; their example the hope of Liberty throughout the world.

  James Madison

  Miracle, Liberty, Example

  James Madison, David B. Mattern (1997). “James Madison's "Advice to My Country"”, p.28, University of Virginia Press

  16 Copy quote

• The means of defence against foreign danger have been always the instruments of tyranny at home. Among the Romans it was a standing maxim to excite a war, whenever a revolt was apprehended. Throughout all Europe, the armies kept up under the pretext of defending, have enslaved the people.

  James Madison

  War, Home, Mean

  James Madison (1787). “The Writings of James Madison: 1787. The journal of the Constitutional convention”, p.317

  6 Copy quote

• A watchful eye must be kept on ourselves lest while we are building ideal monuments of Renown and Bliss here we neglect to have our names enrolled in the Annals of Heaven.

  James Madison

  Eye, Names, Heaven

  James Madison (1962). “Papers”

  52 Copy quote

• Every man who loves peace, every man who loves his country, every man who loves liberty ought to have it ever before his eyes that he may cherish in his heart a due attachment to the Union of America and be able to set a due value on the means of preserving it.

  James Madison

  Country, Heart, Mean

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, Quentin P. Taylor, John Jay (1998). “The Essential Federalist: A New Reading of the Federalist Papers”, p.63, Rowman & Littlefield

  6 Copy quote

• In suits at common law, trial by jury in civil cases is as essential to secure the liberty of the people as any one of the pre-existent rights of nature.

  James Madison

  Rights, Law, People

  25 Copy quote

• 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 impressed with it.

  James Madison

  God, Wise, Powerful

  James Madison, David B. Mattern (1997). “James Madison's "Advice to My Country"”, p.51, University of Virginia Press

  9 Copy quote

• We have seen that the tendency of republican governments is to an aggrandizement of the legislative at the expense of the other departments. The appeals to the people, therefore, would usually be made by the executive and judiciary departments.

  James Madison

  Government, People, Republican

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (2015). “The Federalist Papers: A Collection of Essays Written in Favour of the New Constitution”, p.249, Coventry House Publishing

  9 Copy quote

• Money cannot be applied to the *general welfare*, otherwise than by an application of it to some *particular* measure conducive to the general welfare. Whenever, therefore, money has been raised by the general authority, and is to be applied to a particular measure, a question arises whether the particular measure be within the enumerated authorities vested in Congress. If it be, the money requisite for it may be applied to it; if it be not, no such application can be made.

  James Madison

  May, Welfare, Authority

  James Madison (1974). “The Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution: As Recommended by the General Convention at Philadelphia in 1787 ...”

  4 Copy quote

• And I have no doubt that every new example will succeed, as every past one has done, in showing that religion and Government will both exist in greater purity, the less they are mixed together.

  James Madison

  Past, Government, Doubt

  James Madison, David B. Mattern (1997). “James Madison's "Advice to My Country"”, p.89, University of Virginia Press

  31 Copy quote

• In civilized communities, property as well as personal rights is an essential object of the laws, which encourage industry by securing the enjoyment of its fruits; that industry from which property results, and that enjoyment which consists not merely in its immediate use, but in its posthumous destination to objects of choice, and of kindred affection. In a just and free government, therefore, the rights both of property and of persons ought to be effectually guarded.

  James Madison

  Freedom, Law, Rights

  "Selections from the Private Correspondence of James Madison, from 1813 to 1836".

  4 Copy quote

• An efficient militia is authorized and contemplated by the Constitution and required by the spirit and safety of free government.

  James Madison

  Government, Safety, Second Amendment

  James Madison (1819). “The Writings of James Madison: 1808-1819”, p.379

  7 Copy quote

• The proposed Constitution is, in strictness, neither a national nor a federal constitution; but a composition of both.

  James Madison

  Federalism, Constitution, Composition

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (1842). “The Federalist, on the New Constitution, Written in the Year 1788”, p.179

  37 Copy quote

• The power of taxing people and their property is essential to the very existence of government.

  James Madison

  Government, People, Essentials

  12 Copy quote

• If it be asked what is to restrain the House of Representatives from making legal discriminations in favor of themselves and a particular class of the society? I answer, the genius of the whole system, the nature of just and constitutional laws, and above all the vigilant and manly spirit which actuates the people of America, a spirit which nourishes freedom, and in return is nourished by it.

  James Madison

  Law, Class, America

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (1842). “The Federalist, on the New Constitution, Written in the Year 1788”, p.265

  11 Copy quote

• Despotism can only exist in darkness, and there are too many lights now in the political firmament to permit it to remain anywhere, as it has heretofore done, almost everywhere.

  James Madison

  Light, Tyrants, Political

  James Madison, Ralph Ketcham “Selected Writings of James Madison”, Hackett Publishing

  13 Copy quote

• Hence it is that such democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths. Theoretic politicians, who have patronized this species of government, have erroneously supposed that by reducing mankind to a perfect equality in their political rights, they would, at the same time, be perfectly equalized and assimilated in their possessions, their opinions, and their passions.

  James Madison

  Passion, Government, Democracies Have

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay, Henry Barton Dawson (1864). “The Fœderalist: A Collection of Essays, Written in Favor of the New Constitution, as Agreed Upon by the Fœderal Convention, September 17, 1787. Reprinted from the Original Text. With an Historical Introduction and Notes”, p.60, New York : C. Scribner ; London : Sampson Low

  7 Copy quote

• The number of individuals employed under the Constitution of the United States will be much smaller than the number employed under the particular States.

  James Madison

  Numbers, Constitution Of The United States, Individual

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (1842). “The Federalist, on the New Constitution, Written in the Year 1788”, p.214

  10 Copy quote

• The danger from legislative usurpations, which, by assembling all power in the same hands, must lead to the same tyranny as is threatened by executive usurpations.

  James Madison

  Hands, Danger, Tyranny

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (2016). “The Federalist Papers and the Constitution of the United States: The Principles of the American Government”, p.267, Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.

  7 Copy quote

• Frequent elections are unquestionably the only policy by which this dependence and sympathy can be effectually secured. But what particular degree of frequency may be absolutely necessary for the purpose, does not appear to be susceptible of any precise calculation; and must depend on a variety of circumstances with which it may be connected. Let us consult experience, the guide that ought always to be followed, whenever it can be found.

  James Madison

  Government, Degrees, Doe

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (2015). “The Federalist Papers: A Collection of Essays Written in Favour of the New Constitution”, p.259, Coventry House Publishing

  11 Copy quote

• Extend the sphere and you take in a greater variety of parties and interests; you make it less probable that a majority of the whole will have common motive to invade the rights of other citizens.

  James Madison

  Party, Rights, Majority

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (1852). “The Federalist, on the New Constitution: Written in 1788”, p.55

  6 Copy quote

• What is to be the consequence, in case the Congress shall misconstrue this part [the necessary and proper clause] of the Constitution and exercise powers not warranted by its true meaning, I answer the same as if they should misconstrue or enlarge any other power vested in them . . . the success of the usurpation will depend on the executive and judiciary departments, which are to expound and give effect to the legislative acts; and in a last resort a remedy must be obtained from the people, who can by the elections of more faithful representatives, annul the acts of the usurpers.

  James Madison

  Exercise, People, Giving

  53 Copy quote

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