James Madison Quotes - Page 15

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• In no part of the Constitution is more wisdom to be found than in the clause which confides the question of war or peace to the legislature, and not the executive department. ... The trust and the temptation would be too great for any one man.

  James Madison

  War, Men, Temptation

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (1826). “The Federalist: On the New Constitution”, p.550

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• I am unable to conceive that the state legislatures which must feel so many motives to watch, and which possess so many means of counteracting the federal legislature, would fail either to detect or to defeat a conspiracy of the latter against the liberties of their common constituencies.

  James Madison

  Mean, Liberty, Federalism

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• At cheaper and nearer seats of Learning parents with slender incomes may place their sons in a course of education putting them on a level with the sons of the Richest.

  James Madison

  Education, Son, Parent

  James Madison (1867). “1816-1828”, p.278

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• [Exchange] the galling burden of bachelorship for the easy yoke of matrimony.

  James Madison

  Marriage, Advice, Yoke

  James Madison (1867). “1816-1828”, p.568

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• If men were angels, there would be no need of government.

  James Madison

  Angel, Men, Would Be

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• What is the structure of government that will best guard against the precipitate counsels and factious combinations for unjust purposes, without a sacrifice of the fundamental principle of republicanism?

  James Madison

  Sacrifice, Government, Principles

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• The necessity of a senate is not less indicated by the propensity of all single and numerous assemblies, to yield to the impulse of sudden and violent passions, and to be seduced by factious leaders, into intemperate and pernicious resolutions.

  James Madison

  Passion, Yield, Leader

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (2007). “The Federalist Papers”, p.474, Filiquarian Publishing, LLC.

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• A distinction of property results from that very protection which a free Government gives to unequal faculties of acquiring it.

  James Madison

  Government, Giving, Protection

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

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• In this relation, then, the proposed government cannot be deemed a national one; since its jurisdiction extends to certain enumerated objects only, and leaves to the several states, a residuary and inviolable sovereignty over all other objects.

  James Madison

  Government, Nullification, Federalism

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (1842). “The Federalist, on the New Constitution, Written in the Year 1788”, p.178

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• In war, too, the discretionary power of the Executive is extended; its influence in dealing out offices, honors, and emoluments is multiplied; and all the meaning of seducing the minds, are added to those of subduing the force, of the people. The same malignant aspect in republicanism may be traced in the inequality of fortunes, and the opportunities of fraud, growing out of a state of war, and in the degeneracy of manners and morals, engendered by both. No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare.

  James Madison

  War, Opportunity, Office

  "Political Observations" by James Madison, founders.archives.gov. April 20, 1795.

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• There is not a shadow of right in the general government to intermingle with religion. Its least interference with it would be a most flagrant usurpation.

  James Madison

  Government, Religion, Shadow

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• The danger of disturbing the public tranquillity by interesting too strongly the public passions, is a still more serious objection against a frequent reference of constitutional questions to the decision of the whole society.

  James Madison

  Passion, Interesting, Decision

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (2015). “The Federalist Papers: A Collection of Essays Written in Favour of the New Constitution”, p.248, Coventry House Publishing

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• [T]he delegation of the government, in [a republic], to a small number of citizens elected by the rest . . . [is] to refine and enlarge the public views by passing them through the medium of a chosen body of citizens, whose wisdom may best discern the true interest of their country and whose patriotism and love of justice will be least likely to sacrifice it to temporary or partial considerations.

  James Madison

  Country, Sacrifice, Small Numbers

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• In contemplating the pecuniary resources needed for the removal of such a number to so great a distance [freed slaves to Africa], my thoughts and hopes have long been turned to the rich fund presented in the western lands of the nation . . .

  James Madison

  Distance, Land, Numbers

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• I love the summer.... the warm weather, hangin out with friends, and swimmin in the warm water..... but most importantly grabin a glove and a ball and playin some softball in the heat.

  James Madison

  Summer, Softball, Weather

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• In Europe, charters of liberty have been granted by Power. In America ... charters of power [are] granted by liberty.

  James Madison

  Government, Europe, America

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• A victorious and powerful ally is but another name for a master.

  James Madison

  Powerful, Government, Names

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (1852). “The Federalist: On the New Constitution, Written in 1788”, p.83

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• To the press alone, chequered as it is with abuses, the world is indebted for all the triumphs which have been gained by reason and humanity over error and oppression.

  James Madison

  Errors, Media, Humanity

  James Madison, Thomas Jefferson (1826). “Resolutions of Virginia and Kentucky”, p.51

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• A sincere and steadfast co-operation in promoting such a reconstruction of our political system as would provide for the permanent liberty and happiness of the United States.

  James Madison

  Political, Liberty, United States

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

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• The internal effects of a mutable policy are still more calamitous. It poisons the blessings of liberty itself.

  James Madison

  Blessing, Liberty, Poison

  "The Federalist on the New Constitution".

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• May it not be asked of every intelligent friend to the liberties of his country, whether the power exercised in such an act as this ought not to produce great and universal alarm? Whether a rigid execution of such an act, in time past, would not have repressed that information and communication among the people which is indispensable to the just exercise of their electoral rights? And whether such an act, if made perpetual, and enforced with rigor, would not, in time to come, either destroy our free system of government, or prepare a convulsion that might prove equally fatal to it?

  James Madison

  Country, Communication, Exercise

  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.574

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• I own myself the friend to a very free system of commerce, and hold it as a truth, that commercial shackles are generally unjust, oppressive and impolitic - it is also a truth, that if industry and labour are left to take their own course, they will generally be directed to those objects which are the most productive, and this in a more certain and direct manner than the wisdom of the most enlightened legislature could point out.

  James Madison

  Unjust, Enlightened, Legislature

  James Madison, David B. Mattern (1997). “James Madison's "Advice to My Country"”, p.21, University of Virginia Press

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• 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, Matter, Institutions

  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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• The rights of man as the foundation of just Government had been long understood but the superstructures projected had been sadly defective

  James Madison

  Men, Rights, Long

  James Madison (1867). “1829-1836”, p.58

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• We look back, already, with astonishment, at the daring outrages committed by despotism, on the reason and rights of man; we look forward with joy, to the period, when it shall be despoiled of all its usurpations, and bound forever in the chains, with which it had loaded its miserable victims.

  James Madison

  Men, Rights, Joy

  James Madison (1867). “1829-1836”, p.467

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