James Madison Quotes - Page 9

Quotes about:

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

  James Madison

  Military, Army, Mischief

  10 Copy quote

• 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

  18 Copy quote

• 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

  9 Copy quote

• In all the co-temporary discussions and comments, which the Constitution underwent, it was constantly justified and recommended on the ground, that the powers not given to the government, were withheld from it.

  James Madison

  Government, Constitution, Justified

  Virginia. General Assembly. House of Delegates, J. W. Randolph, James Madison (1850). “The Virginia Report of 1799-1800: Touching the Alien and Sedition Laws; Together with the Virginia Resolutions of December 21, 1798, Including the Debate and Proceedings Thereon in the House of Delegates of Virginia and Other Documents Illustrative of the Report and Resolutions”, p.191

  7 Copy quote

• 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

  9 Copy quote

• 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

  9 Copy quote

• 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

  10 Copy quote

• A certain degree of preparation for war . . . affords also the best security for the continuance of peace.

  James Madison

  War, Preparation, Degrees

  James Madison (1819). “The Writings of James Madison: 1808-1819”, p.325

  7 Copy quote

• 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

• They can make no law which will not have its full operation on themselves and their friends, as well as on the great mass of the society.

  James Madison

  Law, Operations, Mass

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay, J.R. Pole (2005). “The Federalist”, p.311, Hackett Publishing

  9 Copy quote

• 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

  8 Copy quote

• 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”

  6 Copy quote

• 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

  6 Copy quote

• 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”

  11 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 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

• 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

• War contains so much folly, as well as wickedness, that much is to be hoped from the progress of reason.

  James Madison

  War, Afterlife, Progress

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

  8 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

• Government is instituted to protect property of every sort; as well that which lies in the various rights of individuals, as that which the term particularly expresses. This being the end of government, that alone is a just government which impartially secures to every man whatever is his own.

  James Madison

  Wisdom, Lying, Men

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

  12 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

• 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

  7 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

• 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 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

Page 9 of 22

First

← Prev

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

Next →

• facebook
• twitter
• googleplus
• email
• linkedin