James Madison Quotes - Page 9

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• There is no maxim, in my opinion, which is more liable to be misapplied, and which, therefore, more needs elucidation, than the current one, that the interest of the majority is the political standard of right and wrong.

  James Madison

  Political, Liberty, Majority

  James Madison, David B. Mattern (1997). “James Madison's "Advice to My Country"”, p.68, University of Virginia Press

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• ...to support the Constitution, which is the cement of the Union, as well in its limitations as in its authorities; to respect the rights and authorities reserved to the States and to the people as equally incorporated with and essential to the success of the general system;... to keep within the requisite limits a standing military force, always remembering that an armed and trained militia is the firmest bulwark of republics-that without standing armies their liberty can never be in danger, nor with large ones safe.

  James Madison

  Military, Army, Gun

  First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1809.

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• The Constitution expressly and exclusively vests in the Legislature the power of declaring a state of war [and] the power of raising armies.... A delegation of such powers [to the President] would have struck, not only at the fabric of our Constitution, but at the foundation of all well organized and well checked governments. The separation of the power of declaring war from that of conducting it, is wisely contrived to exclude the danger of its being declared for the sake of its being conducted.

  James Madison

  War, Army, Government

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• Torrents of blood have been spilt in the world in vain attempts of the secular arm to extinguish religious discord, by proscribing all differences in religious opinions.

  James Madison

  Religious, Blood, Differences

  James Madison, Virginia. General assembly, 1785 (1828). “A memorial and remonstrance, on the religious rights of man; written in 1784-5, at the request of the religious society of Baptists in Virginia. ...”, p.9

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• Who does not see that the same authority which can establish Christianity, in exclusion of all other Religions, may establish with the same ease any particular sect of Christians, in exclusion of all other Sects?

  James Madison

  Christian, Atheist, Religion

  "Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments" (1785)

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• By rendering the labor of one, the property of the other, they cherish pride, luxury, and vanity on one side; on the other, vice and servility, or hatred and revolt.

  James Madison

  Pride, Vanity, Two Sides

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• In framing a system, which we wish to last for ages, we should not lose sight of the changes which ages will produce.

  James Madison

  Sight, Wish, Age

  James Madison (1836). “The Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution: As Recommended by the General Convention at Philadelphia, in 1787. Together with the Journal of the Federal Convention, Luther Martin's Letter, Yate's Minutes, Congressional Opinions, Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions of '98-'99, and Other Illustrations of the Constitution”

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• The safety and happiness of society are the objects at which all political institutions aim, and to which all such institutions must be sacrificed.

  James Madison

  Happiness, Safety, Political

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (2003). “The Federalist: With Letters of Brutus”, p.216, Cambridge University Press

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• The Constitution of the U.S. forbids everything like an establishment of a national religion.

  James Madison

  Constitution, Separation, Founding Fathers Religion

  "Concerned Catholic Paul Ryan Wants Priests to Shut Up About the Poor" by Charles P. Pierce, www.esquire.com. April 27, 2018.

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• The appointment of senators by the state legislatures . . . is recommended by the double advantage of favoring a select appointment, and of giving to the state governments such an agency in the formation of the federal government, as must secure the authority of the former.

  James Madison

  Government, Agency, Giving

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

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• It is a principle incorporated into the settled policy of America, that as peace is better than war, war is better than tribute.

  James Madison

  War, America, Principles

  James Madison (1867). “1816-1828”, p.17

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• Government destitute of energy, will ever produce anarchy.

  James Madison

  Government, Energy, Anarchy

  James Madison (1836). “The Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution: As Recommended by the General Convention at Philadelphia in 1787. Together with the Journal of the Federal Convention, Luther Martin's Letter, Yates's Minutes, Congressional Opinions, Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions of '98-'99, and Other Illustrations of the Constitution”, p.131

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• I entirely concur in the propriety of resorting to the sense in which the Constitution was accepted and ratified by the nation. In that sense alone it is the legitimate Constitution. And if that is not the guide in expounding it, there may be no security.

  James Madison

  May, Constitution, Accepted

  James Madison, David B. Mattern (1997). “James Madison's "Advice to My Country"”, p.34, University of Virginia Press

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• Among the numerous advantages promised by a well-constructed Union, none deserves to be more accurately developed than its tendency to break and control the violence of faction.

  James Madison

  Government, Unions, Violence

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (2009). “The Federalist”, p.52, Harvard University Press

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• What prudent merchant will hazard his fortunes in any new branch of commerce when he knows not that his plans may be rendered unlawful before they can be executed?

  James Madison

  Hazards, Branches, May

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (1842). “The Federalist, on the New Constitution, Written in the Year 1788”, p.288

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• Who are to be the electors of the Federal Representatives? Not the rich, more than the poor

  James Madison

  Rich, Poor, Representatives

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (1842). “The Federalist, on the New Constitution, Written in the Year 1788”, p.263

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• Attempts to enforce by legal sanctions, acts obnoxious to so great a proportion of Citizens, tend to enervate the laws in general, and to slacken the bands of Society. If it be difficult to execute any law which is not generally deemed necessary or salutary, what must be the case, where it is deemed invalid and dangerous? And what may be the effect of so striking an example of impotency in the Government, on its general authority?

  James Madison

  Government, Law, May

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

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• I, sir, have always conceived - I believe those who proposed the constitution conceived,and it is still more fully known, and more material to observe, those who ratified the constitution conceived, that this is not an indefinite government deriving its powers from the general terms prefixed to the specified powers - but, a limited government tied down to the specified powers, which explain and define the general terms.

  James Madison

  Believe, Government, Constitution

  James Madison, David B. Mattern (1997). “James Madison's "Advice to My Country"”, p.32, University of Virginia Press

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• It may be concluded that a pure democracy . . . can admit no cure for the mischiefs of faction.

  James Madison

  Democracies Have, Democracy, May

  Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, James Madison (2010). “The Federalist: A Commentary on the Constitution of the United States”, p.58, Modern Library

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• Testimony of all ages forces us to admit that war is among the most dangerous enemies to liberty, and that the executive is the branch most favored by it of all the branches of Power.

  James Madison

  War, Enemy, Age

  James Madison, David B. Mattern (1997). “James Madison's "Advice to My Country"”, p.108, University of Virginia Press

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• Every word of [the Constitution] decides a question between power and liberty.

  James Madison

  Liberty

  "The forging of American federalism: selected writings of James Madison".

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• A standing army is one of the greatest mischief that can possibly happen.

  James Madison

  Military, Army, Mischief

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• 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; but, on a candid examination of history, we shall find that turbulence, violence, and abuse of power, by the majority trampling on the rights of the minority, have produced factions and commotions, which, in republics, have, more frequently than any other cause, produced despotism.

  James Madison

  Believe, Rights, Government

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

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• It is proper to take alarm at the first experiment on our liberties. We hold this prudent jealousy to be the first duty of citizens and one of the noblest characteristics of the late Revolution. The freemen of America did not wait till usurped power had strengthened itself by exercise and entangled the question in precedents. They saw all the consequences in the principle, and they avoided the consequences by denying the principle. We revere this lesson too much ... to forget it

  James Madison

  Exercise, America, Waiting

  James Madison (1999). “Writings”

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• 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.

  James Madison

  Government, United States, Charity

  James Madison (1836). “The Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution: As Recommended by the General Convention at Philadelphia in 1787. Together with the Journal of the Federal Convention, Luther Martin's Letter, Yates's Minutes, Congressional Opinions, Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions of '98-'99, and Other Illustrations of the Constitution”, p.431

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