Constitutional Law Quotes

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  A sacred respect for the constitutional law is the vital principle, the sustaining energy of a free government.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Government, Law, Energy

  Alexander Hamilton (1851). “The Works of Alexander Hamilton: Comprising His Correspondence, and His Political and Official Writings, Exclusive of the Federalist, Civil and Military. Published from the Original Manuscripts Deposited in the Department of State, by Order of the Joint Library Committee of Congress”, p.164

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• The particular phraseology of the Constitution of the United States confirms and strengthens the principle, supposed to be essential to all written constitutions, that a law repugnant to the Constitution is void; and that courts, as well as other departments, are bound by that instrument.

  John Marshall

  Law, Void, Principles

  John Marshall (2005). “The Political and Economic Doctrines of John Marshall”, p.340, The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd.

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• Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!

  Patrick Henry

  Death, Sweet, Freedom

  Speech in Virginia Convention, Richmond, Va., 23 Mar. 1775.

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  The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Strength, Wisdom, Veterans Day

  Letter to William Stephens Smith, 13 Nov. 1787

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• The illegal we do immediately. The unconstitutional takes a little longer.

  Henry A. Kissinger

  Ebola, Political Will, Nwo

  The Washington Post, December 23, 1973.

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• It will be of little avail to the people that the laws are made by men of their own choice if the laws be so voluminous that they cannot be read, or so incoherent that they cannot be understood.

  James Madison

  Patriotic, Men, Law

  The Federalist no. 62 (1788).

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• If it were to be asked, What is the most sacred duty and the greatest source of our security in a Republic? The answer would be, An inviolable respect for the Constitution and Laws - the first growing out of the last . . . . A sacred respect for the constitutional law is the vital principle, the sustaining energy of a free government.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Law, Government, Answers

  Alexander Hamilton, Morton J. Frisch (1985). “Selected writings and speeches of Alexander Hamilton”, Aei Pr

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• If it be asked what is to restrain the House of Representatives from making legal discriminations in favor of themselves and a particular class of the society? I answer, the genius of the whole system, the nature of just and constitutional laws, and above all the vigilant and manly spirit which actuates the people of America, a spirit which nourishes freedom, and in return is nourished by it. 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 anything but liberty.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Law, Class, America

  Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (1842). “The Federalist, on the New Constitution, Written in the Year 1788”, p.265

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• The highest laws of the land (America) are not only the constitution and constitutional laws, but also contracts.

  Hannah

  Law, Land, America

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• I was a constitutional law professor, which means unlike the current president I actually respect the Constitution.

  Barack Obama

  Mean, Law, President

  "Obama a Constitutional Law Professor?" by Joe Miller, www.factcheck.org. March 28, 2008.

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• And that law of the land which is constitutional, supporting that principle of freedom in maintaining rights and privileges, belongs to all mankind, and is justifiable before me. Therefore, I, the Lord, justify you, and your brethren of my church, in befriending that law which is the constitutional law of the land.

  Joseph Smith, Jr.

  Freedom, Rights, Law

  Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Joseph Smith (Jr.) (1911). “The Doctrine and Covenants: Of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Containing the Revelations Given to Joseph Smith, Jun., the Prophet, for the Building Up of the Kingdom of God in the Last Days”

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• The Court is most vulnerable and comes nearest to illegitimacy when it deals with judge-made constitutional law having little or no cognizable roots in the language or design of the Constitution.

  Byron White

  Law, Roots, Judging

  Bowers v. Hardwick, 478 U.S. 186, 1985.

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• The Court is most vulnerable and comes nearest to illegitimacy when it deals with judge-made constitutional law having little or no cognizable roots in the language or design of the Constitution.... There should be, therefore, great resistance to ... redefining the category of rights deemed to be fundamental. Otherwise, the Judiciary necessarily takes to itself further authority to govern the country without express constitutional authority.

  Byron White

  Country, Rights, Law

  Bowers v. Hardwick, 478 U.S. 186, 1986.

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• Way down deep the American people are afraid of an entangling relationship between formal religions - or whole bodies of religious belief - and government. Apart from constitutional law and religious doctrine, there is a sense that tells us it's wrong to presume to speak for God or to claim God's sanction of our particular legislation and his rejection of all other positions. Most of us are offended when we see religion being trivialized by its appearance in political throw-away pamphlets.

  Mario Cuomo

  Religious, Government, Law

  "Religious Belief and Public Morality: A Catholic Governor's Perspective". John A. O'Brien Lecture in the University of Notre Dame's Department of Theology, archives.nd.edu. September 13, 1984.

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• Obama wouldn't have been voted president if he weren't black. Somebody asked me over the weekend why does somebody earn a lot of money have a lot of money, because she's black. It was Oprah. No, it can't be. Yes, it is. There's a lot of guilt out there, show we're not racists, we'll make this person wealthy and big and famous and so forth.... If Obama weren't black he'd be a tour guide in Honolulu or he'd be teaching Saul Alinsky constitutional law or lecturing on it in Chicago.

  Rush Limbaugh

  Stupid, Teaching, Weekend

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• It was important for the Supreme Court to say it’s a matter of constitutional law that everyone is equal, to say everyone is entitled to the dignity that comes from being married to the person you love.

  David Boies

  Law, Important, Matter

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• We're talking about a militant terrorist situation, which I believe it isn't a widespread thing, but it is enough that we need to address, and we have been addressing it. My thoughts are these, first of all, Dearborn, Michigan, and Frankford, Texas are on American soil, and under constitutional law. Not Sharia law. And I don't know how that happened in the United States. It seems to me there is something fundamentally wrong with allowing a foreign system of law to even take hold in any municipality or government situation in our United States.

  Sharron Angle

  Believe, Government, Texas

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• It is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God,. to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits , and humbly to implore his protection and favor... beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed

  George Washington

  Thanksgiving, Wise, Grateful

  Thanksgiving Day Proclamation, Issued by President George Washington, at the request of Congress, on October 3, 1789

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• Have no power, by taxation or otherwise, to retard, impede, burden or in any manner control the operations of the constitutional laws enacted by Congress.

  John Marshall

  Law, Taxation, Burden

  Gerald Gunther, John Marshall (1969). “John Marshall's Defense of McCulloch V. Maryland”, p.50, Stanford University Press

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• The Supreme Court of the United States of America will never under any circumstances allow anyone to be stripped of their citizenship because they burned the American flag. And if you don't believe that, you haven't been reading constitutional law for the past seventy years.

  Joe Scarborough

  Reading, Believe, Past

  Source: www.realclearpolitics.com

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• Barack Obama strikes me as a man of strong principles and weak convictions - the kind of guy who would rather teach constitutional law than practice it, or who'd rather watch the match alone on TV than arm-wrestle his opponents.

  Bill Moyers

  Strong, Men, Law

  Source: progressive.org

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• This Court is forever adding new stories to the temples of constitutional law, and the temples have a way of collapsing when one story too many is added.

  Robert H. Jackson

  Law, Forever, Stories

  "Douglas v. Jeannette, 319 U.S. 157, 181". Judicial opinion, 1943.

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• I'm not versed enough in constitutional law to run for office. I'd have to go back to school or something.

  Zach Galifianakis

  Running, School, Law

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• I was taught to read by my grandmother. Central to her method was a tale of unnatural love called 'The Duck and the Kangaroo'. Then, because my grandfather, Senator Gore, was blind, I was required early on to read grown-up books to him, mostly constitutional law and, of course, the Congressional Record. The later continence of my style is a miracle, considering those years of piping the additional remarks of Mr. Borah of Idaho.

  Gore Vidal

  Children, Book, Grandmother

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• Indeed, that the Second Amendment poses no barrier to strong gun laws is perhaps the most well-settled proposition in American constitutional law.

  Erwin Griswold

  Strong, Gun, Law

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