James Madison Quotes - Page 14

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I should not regret a fair and full trial of the entire abolition of capital punishment.

James Madison

Regret, Punishment, Trials

James Madison (1867). “1816-1828”, p.342

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The smaller the society, the fewer probably will be the distinct parties and interests composing it; the fewer the distinct parties and interests, the more frequently will a majority be found of the same party; . . . the more easily will they concert and execute their plans of oppression.

James Madison

Party, Majority, Oppression

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (1842). “The Federalist, on the New Constitution, Written in the Year 1788”, p.47

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Rulers who wished to subvert the public liberty, may have found an established Clergy convenient auxiliaries. A just Government instituted to secure & perpetuate it needs them not.

James Madison

Government, Atheism, Liberty

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

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To the Baptist Churches on Neal's Greek on Black Creek, North Carolina I have received, fellow-citizens, your address, approving my objection to the Bill containing a grant of public land to the Baptist Church at Salem Meeting House, Mississippi Territory. Having always regarded the practical distinction between Religion and Civil Government as essential to the purity of both, and as guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States, I could not have otherwise discharged my duty on the occasion which presented itself

James Madison

Government, Land, House

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The ultimate authority, wherever the derivative may be found, resides in the people alone, and that it will not depend merely on the comparative ambition or address of the different governments, whether either, or which of them, will be able to enlarge its sphere of jurisdiction at the expense of the other.

James Madison

Freedom, Gun, Democracies Have

"America's Founding Documents: The Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, the United States Constitution, the Federalist Papers, and the Bill of Rights".

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As compacts, charters of government are superior in obligation to all others, because they give effect to all others. As truths, none can be more sacred, because they are bound, on the conscience by the religious sanctions of an oath. As metes and bounds of government, they transcend all other land-marks, because every public usurpation is an encroachment on the private right, not of one, but of all.

James Madison

Religious, Land, Government

James Madison (1906). “The Writings of James Madison: 1790-1802”

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I hope this will find you...enjoying the commencement of a new year with every prospect that can make it a happy one.

James Madison

New Year, Years, Enjoy

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The express authority of the people alone could give validity to the Constitution.

James Madison

People, Giving, Constitution

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (1842). “The Federalist, on the New Constitution, Written in the Year 1788”, p.205

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If they are incorporated into the Constitution, independent tribunals of justice will consider themselves in a peculiar manner the guardians of those rights; they will be an impenetrable bulwark against every assumption of power in the legislative or executive; they will be naturally led to resist every encroachment upon rights expressly stipulated for in the Constitution by the declaration of rights.

James Madison

Independent, Rights, Justice

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

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Before any man can be considered as a member of Civil Society, he must be considered as a subject of the Governour of the Universe: And if a member of Civil Society, do it with a saving of his allegiance to the Universal Sovereign. We maintain therefore that in matters of Religion, no man's right is abridged by the institution of Civil Society and that Religion is wholly exempt from its cognizance.

James Madison

Men, Saving, Matter

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.4

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[It] is indispensable that some provision should be made for defending the Community agst [against] the incapicity, negligence or perfidy of the chief Magistrate.

James Madison

Community, Made, Should

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Landholders ought to have a share in the government to support these invaluable interests and check the other many. They ought to be so constituted as to protect the minority of the opulent against the majority.

James Madison

Government, Support, President

Jonathan Elliot, James Madison, United States. Constitutional Convention (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.490

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Having outlived so many of my contemporaries, I ought not to forget that I may be thought to have outlived myself.

James Madison

May, Forget, Ought

Thomas Jefferson, James Madison (1995). “The Republic of Letters: 1776-1790”

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... the State Legislatures will jealously and closely watch the operations of this Government, and be able to resist with more effect every assumption of power, than any other power on earth can do; and the greatest opponents to a Federal Government admit the State Legislatures to be sure guardians of the people's liberty.

James Madison

Government, People, Liberty

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

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In republican government the legislative authority necessarily predominates. The remedy for this . . . is to divide the legislature into different branches; and to render them by different modes of election, and different principles of action, as little connected with each other as the nature of their common functions, and their common dependence on the society, will admit.

James Madison

Government, Political, Principles

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (2009). “The Federalist”, p.341, Harvard University Press

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As long as the reason of man continues fallible, and he is at liberty to exercise it, different opinions will be formed. As long as the connection subsists between his reason and his self-love, his opinions and passions will have a reciprocal influence on each other, and the former will be objects to which the latter attach themselves.

James Madison

Passion, Exercise, Men

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.57, New York : C. Scribner ; London : Sampson Low

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The Constitution of the United States was created by the people of the United States composing the respective states, who alone had the right.

James Madison

Patriotic, America, People

James Madison (1859). “Selections from the Private Correspondence of James Madison, from 1813 to 1836”, p.119

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The inference to which we are brought is that the causes of faction cannot be removed and that relief is only to be sought in the means of controlling its effects.

James Madison

Mean, Relief, Causes

James Madison, John Jay (1847). “The Federalist, on the New Constitution, Written in the Year 1788”, p.35

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Those who are to conduct a war cannot in the nature of things, be proper or safe judges, whether a war ought to be commenced, continued, or concluded.

James Madison

War, Judging, Safe

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (1842). “The Federalist, on the New Constitution, Written in the Year 1788”, p.436

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A dependence on the people is, no doubt, the primary control on the government; but experience has taught mankind the necessity of auxiliary precautions.

James Madison

Government, People, Doubt

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

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The States then being the parties to the constitutional compact, and in their sovereign capacity, it follows of necessity, that there can be no tribunal above their authority, to decide in the last resort, whether the compact made by them be violated; and consequently that as the parties to it, they must themselves decide in the last resort, such questions as may be of sufficient magnitude to require their interposition.

James Madison

Party, Nullification, May

James Madison (1867). “1829-1836”, p.517

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It is a misfortune, inseparable from human affairs, that public measures are rarely investigated with that spirit of moderation which is essential to a just estimate of their real tendency to advance or obstruct the public good; and that this spirit is more apt to be diminished than prompted, by those occasions which require an unusual exercise of it.

James Madison

Real, Exercise, Essentials

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (2003). “The Federalist: With Letters of Brutus”, p.168, Cambridge University Press

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This policy of supplying by opposite and rival interests, the defect of better motives, might be traced through the whole system of human affairs, both private and public.

James Madison

Opposites, Rivals, Might

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (1852). “The Federalist, on the New Constitution, Written in 1788”, p.240

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The people of the U.S. owe their Independence & their liberty, to the wisdom of descrying in the minute tax of 3 pence on tea, the magnitude of the evil comprized in the precedent. Let them exert the same wisdom, in watching agst every evil lurking under plausible disguises, and growing up from small beginnings.

James Madison

Growing Up, People, Evil

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The fetters imposed on liberty at home have ever been forged out of the weapons provided for defense against real, pretended, or imaginary dangers from abroad.

James Madison

Real, War, Home

James Madison, David B. Mattern (1997). “James Madison's "Advice to My Country"”, p.49, University of Virginia Press

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Born: March 16, 1751
Died: June 28, 1836
Occupation: 4th U.S. President
Cite this Page: Citation

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