Ambition must be made to counteract ambition.
JAMES MADISONThe Constitution preserves the advantage of being armed which Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation where the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.
More James Madison Quotes
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The rights of persons, and the rights of property, are the objects, for the protection of which Government was instituted.
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All that seems indispensible in stating the account between the dead and the living, is to see that the debts against the latter do not exceed the advances made by the former.
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A pure democracy is a society consisting of a small number of citizens, who assemble and administer the government in person.
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The executive has no right, in any case, to decide the question, whether there is or is not cause for declaring war.
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In Republics, the great danger is, that the majority may not sufficiently respect the rights of the minority.
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To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people, is a chimerical idea.
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What is government itself but the greatest of all reflections on human nature?
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The people are the only legitimate fountain of power, and it is from them that the constitutional charter, under which the several branches of government hold their power, is derived.
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In no instance have… the churches been guardians of the liberties of the people.
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In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.
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Liberty may be endangered by the abuse of liberty, but also by the abuse of power.
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Philosophy is common sense with big words.
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Commercial shackles are generally unjust, oppressive, and impolitic.
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The essence of Government is power; and power, lodged as it must be in human hands, will ever be liable to abuse.
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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 -
If we are to take for the criterion of truth the majority of suffrages, they ought to be gotten from those philosophic and patriotic citizens who cultivate their reason.
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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.
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America was indebted to immigration for her settlement and prosperity.
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War contains so much folly, as well as wickedness, that much is to be hoped from the progress of reason.
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There is no maxim, in my opinion, which is more liable to be misapplied, and which, therefore, more needs elucidation, than the current one, that the interest of the majority is the political standard of right and wrong.
JAMES MADISON -
What prudent merchant will hazard his fortunes in any new branch of commerce when he knows not that his plans may be rendered unlawful before they can be executed?
JAMES MADISON -
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.
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The Constitution preserves the advantage of being armed which Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation where the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.
JAMES MADISON -
The advancement and diffusion of knowledge is the only guardian of true liberty.
JAMES MADISON -
They throw that light over the public mind which is the best security against crafty and dangerous encroachments on the public liberty.
JAMES MADISON -
I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments by those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.
JAMES MADISON