Alexander Hamilton Quotes About Mankind

Quotes about: Mankind

• One great error is that we suppose mankind more honest than they are.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Honesty, Errors, Honest

  "History of the Republic of the United States of America".

• [If you understood the natural rights of mankind,] [y]ou would be convinced that natural liberty is a gift of the beneficent Creator to the whole human race, and that civil liberty is founded in that, and cannot be wrested from any people without the most manifest violation of justice.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Rights, Race, People

• The sacred rights of mankind are not to be rummaged for among old parchments or musty records. They are written, as with a sunbeam, in the whole volume of human nature, by the hand of the divinity itself; and can never be erased.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Power, Rights, Hands

  "The Farmer Refuted" (1775)

• Good and wise men, in all ages, have embraced a very dissimilar theory. They have supposed that the deity, from the relations we stand in to himself and to each other, has constituted an eternal and immutable law, which is indispensably obligatory upon all mankind, prior to any human institution whatever. This is what is called the law of nature....Upon this law depend the natural rights of mankind.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Wise, Men, Rights

  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.43

• There may be in every government a few choice spirits, who may act from more worthy motives. One great error is that we suppose mankind more honest than they are. Our prevailing passions are ambition and interest.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Passion, Ambition, Errors

  Alexander Hamilton (1904). “The Works of Alexander Hamilton”

• To judge from the history of mankind, we shall be compelled to conclude, that the fiery and destructive passions of war, reign in the human breast, with much more powerful sway, than the mild and beneficent sentiments of peace.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Peace, Powerful, War

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (2015). “The Federalist Papers: A Collection of Essays Written in Favour of the New Constitution”, p.159, Coventry House Publishing

• If mankind were to resolve to agree in no institution of government, until every part of it had been adjusted to the most exact standard of perfection, society would soon become a general scene of anarchy, and the world a desert.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Government, Perfection, Desert

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, Quentin P. Taylor, John Jay (1998). “The Essential Federalist: A New Reading of the Federalist Papers”, p.80, Rowman & Littlefield

• Take mankind as they are, and what are they governed by? Their passions.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Passion, Human Nature, Mankind

  Alexander Hamilton (1962). “Jan. 1787-May 1788.-v. 5.June 1778-Nov. 1789.-v. 6. Dec. 1789-Aug. 1790”

• 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”

• In all general questions which become the subjects of discussion, there are always some truths mixed with falsehoods. I confess, there is danger where men are capable of holding two offices. Take mankind in general, they are vicious, their passions may be operated upon. We have been taught to reprobate the danger of influence in the British government, without duly reflecting how far it was necessary to support a good government. We have taken up many ideas upon trust, and at last, pleased with our own opinions, establish them as undoubted truths.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Taken, Passion, Men

  "The works of Alexander Hamilton".

• The experience of treaties being broken with impunity provide an afflicting lesson to mankind how little dependence is to be placed on treaties which have no other sanction than the obligations of good faith; and which oppose general considerations of peace and justice to the impulse of any immediate interest and passion.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Passion, Broken, Justice

• Happy will it be for ourselves, and most honorable for human nature, if we have wisdom and virtue enough to set so glorious an example to mankind!

  Alexander Hamilton

  Example, Human Nature, Virtue

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, Quentin P. Taylor, John Jay (1998). “The Essential Federalist: A New Reading of the Federalist Papers”, p.60, Rowman & Littlefield

• The institution of delegated power implies that there is a portion of virtue and honor among mankind which may be a reasonable foundation of confidence.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Honor, Liberty, Foundation

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, Quentin P. Taylor, John Jay (1998). “The Essential Federalist: A New Reading of the Federalist Papers”, p.81, Rowman & Littlefield

• That experience is the parent of wisdom is an adage the truth of which is recognized by the wisest as well as the simplest of mankind.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Parent, Human Nature, Adages

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, Quentin P. Taylor, John Jay (1998). “The Essential Federalist: A New Reading of the Federalist Papers”, p.137, Rowman & Littlefield

• This position will not be disputed so long as it is admitted that the desire of reward is one of the strongest incentives of human conduct, or that the best security for the fidelity of mankind is to make their interest coincide with their duty. Even the love of fame, the ruling passion of the noblest minds... would on the contrary deter him from the undertaking, when he foresaw that he must quit the scene before he could accomplish the work.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Passion, Long, Mind

  "The Federalist: A Commentary on the Constitution of the United States".

• Upon this law, depend the natural rights of mankind, the supreme being gave existence to man, together with the means of preserving and beatifying that existence. He endowed him with rational faculties, by the help of which, to discern and pursue such things, as were consistent with his duty and interest, and invested him with an inviolable right to personal liberty, and personal safety.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Mean, Men, Rights

  Alexander Hamilton (1842). “The Official and Other Papers of the Late Major-General Alexander Hamilton: Comp. Chiefly from the Originals in the Possession of Mrs. Hamilton ...”, p.76

• 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

• Has it been found that bodies of men act with more rectitude or greater disinterestedness than individuals? The contrary of this has been inferred by all accurate observers of the conduct of mankind; and the inference is founded upon obvious reasons. Regard to reputation has a less active influence, when the infamy of a bad action is to be divided among a number than when it is to fall singly upon one.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Fall, Men, Numbers

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, Quentin P. Taylor, John Jay (1998). “The Essential Federalist: A New Reading of the Federalist Papers”, p.86, Rowman & Littlefield

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