George Mason Quotes - Page 2

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Government is, or ought to be instituted for the common benefit, protection, and security of the people, nation, or community; of all the various modes and forms of government, that is best which is capable of producing the greatest degree of happiness and safety, and is most effectually secured against the danger of maladministration.

George Mason

Government, People, Safety

Virginia Bill of Rights article 3 (1776)

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All men have an equal, natural and unalienable right to the free exercise of religion, according to the dictates of conscience; and that no particular sect or society of Christians ought to be favored or established by law in preference to others.

George Mason

Christian, Exercise, Men

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In all our associations; in all our agreements let us never lose sight of this fundamental maxim - that all power was originally lodged in, and consequently is derived from, the people.

George Mason

Sight, Agreement, People

George Mason's remarks on Annual Elections for the Fairfax Independent Company, circa April 1775.

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Who are the militia, if they be not the people, of this country...? I ask who are the militia? They consist now of the whole people, except a few public officers.

George Mason

Country, People, Second Amendment

"The Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution", vol. 3, edited by Jonathan Elliot, 1974.

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All men are by nature born equally free and independent.

George Mason

Freedom, Independent, Men

George Mason's remarks on Annual Elections for the Fairfax Independent Company, circa April 1775.

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As nations can not be rewarded or punished in the next world they must be in this.

George Mason

World, Next, Petty Tyrants

"The Journal of the Debates in the Convention which Framed the Constitution of the United States, May-September, 1787", Volume 2, as recorded by James Madison, 1908.

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As much as I value an union of all the states, I would not admit the southern states into the union, unless they agreed to the discontinuance of this disgraceful trade, because it would bring weakness and not strength to the union.

George Mason

Southern, Weakness, Unions

"The Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution", vol. 3, edited by Jonathan Elliot, 1974.

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I give and bequeath my soul to Almighty God that gave it me, hoping that through the meritorious death and passion of our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ to receive absolution and remission for all my sins.

George Mason

Jesus, Passion, Giving

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No free government, or the blessings of liberty, can be preserved to any people, but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality, and virtue.

George Mason

Freedom, Blessing, Government

Virginia Declaration of Rights (Article 15), June 12, 1776.

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We will not submit to have our own money taken out of our pockets without our consent; because if any man or any set of men take from us without our consent or that of our representatives one shilling in the pound we have not security for the remaining nineteen. We owe to our mother country the duty of subjects but will not pay her the submission of slaves.

George Mason

Mother, Country, Taken

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There is a Passion natural to the Mind of man, especially a free Man, which renders him impatient of Restraint.

George Mason

Passion, Men, Mind

George Mason's letter to the Committee of Merchants in London, June 6, 1766.

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All power is vested in, and consequently derived from, the people; [...] magistrates are their trustees and servants, and at all times amenable to them.

George Mason

People, Servant, All Time

"The Federal and State Constitutions Colonial Charters, and Other Organic Laws of the States, Territories, and Colonies Now or Heretofore Forming the United States of America" compiled and edited by Newton Thorpe, Washington, DC : Government Printing Office, 1909.

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That in all capital or criminal prosecutions a man bath a right to demand the cause and nature of his accusation, to be confronted with the accusers and witnesses, to call for evidence in his favor, and to a speedy trial by an impartial jury of twelve men of his vicinage, without whose unanimous consent he cannot be found guilty; nor can he be compelled to give evidence against himself; that no man be deprived of his liberty, except by the law of the land or the judgment of his peers.

George Mason

Men, Law, Land

"The Federal and State Constitutions Colonial Charters, and Other Organic Laws of the States, Territories, and Colonies Now or Heretofore Forming the United States of America" compiled and edited by Newton Thorpe, Washington, DC : Government Printing Office, 1909.

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Successfully reframing the climate debate in the United States from one based on environmental values to one based on health values...holds great promise to help American society better understand and appreciate the risks of climate change.

George Mason

Appreciate, Risk, Promise

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The poor despise labor when performed by slaves.

George Mason

Slave, Poor, Despise

George Mason's remarks at the debates in the Federal Convention (August 22, 1787) as quoted in "The Journal of the Debates in the Convention Which Framed the Constitution of the United States, May-September, 1787, Volume 2" edited by James Madison and Gaillard Hunt, 1908.

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I ask you sir, who are the militia? They consist now of the whole people.

George Mason

Gun, People, Second Amendment

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Who are the militia? They consist now of the whole people, except a few public officers. But I cannot say who will be the militia of the future day. If that paper on the table [the Constitution] gets no alteration, the militia of the future day may not consist of all classes, high and low, and rich and poor.

George Mason

Class, People, Second Amendment

"The Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution", vol. 3, edited by Jonathan Elliot, 1974.

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If I can only live to see the American union firmly fixed, and free governments well established in our western world, and can leave to my children but a crust of bread and liberty, I shall die satisfied.

George Mason

Children, Government, Liberty

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Slavery discourages arts and manufacturing ...[and] every master of slaves is born a petty tyrant.

George Mason

Art, Tyrants, Slavery

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A few years' experience will convince us that those things which at the time they happened we regarded as our greatest misfortunes have proved our greatest blessings.

George Mason

Blessing, Convince Us, Years

George Mason's letter to his daughter Sarah Mason McCarty after the death of an infand daughter (February 10, 1785) as quoted in Kate Mason Rowland "The Life of George Mason, Volume 2: 1725-1792" (p. 74), 1892.

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I begin to grow heartily tired of the etiquette and nonsense so fashionable in this city.

George Mason

Tired, Cities, Nonsense

Letter to his son, George Mason, May 27, 1787.

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That the legislative and executive powers of the State should be separate and distinct from the judiciary; and that the members of the two first may be restrained from oppression, by feeling and participating the burdens of the people, they should, at fixed periods, be reduced to a private station, return into that body from which they were originally taken, and the vacancies be supplied by frequent, certain, and regular elections, in which all, or any part of the former members, to be again eligible, or ineligible, as the laws shall direct.

George Mason

Taken, Law, Two

"The Federal and State Constitutions Colonial Charters, and Other Organic Laws of the States, Territories, and Colonies Now or Heretofore Forming the United States of America" compiled and edited by Newton Thorpe, Washington, DC : Government Printing Office, 1909.

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Every selfish motive therefore, every family attachment, ought to recommend such a system of policy as would provide no less carefully for the rights and happiness of the lowest than of the highest orders of Citizens.

George Mason

Selfish, Attachment, Order

"The Journal of the Debates in the Convention which Framed the Constitution of the United States, May-September, 1787", Volume 2, as recorded by James Madison, 1908.

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Every society, all government, and every kind of civil compact therefore, is or ought to be, calculated for the general good and safety of the community.

George Mason

Government, Safety, Community

George Mason's remarks on Annual Elections for the Fairfax Independent Company, circa April 1775.

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Slavery discourages arts and manufactures.

George Mason

Art, Slavery, Discouraging

"The Journal of the Debates in the Convention which Framed the Constitution of the United States, May-September, 1787", Volume 2, as recorded by James Madison, 1908.

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Born: December 11, 1725
Died: October 7, 1792
Occupation: Statesman
Cite this Page: Citation

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