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If men were angels, no government would be necessary.

James Madison

The class of citizens who provide at once their own food and their own raiment, may be viewed as the most truly independent and happy.
JAMES MADISON

Citizen Class Food Independent Mostly Own Provide Raiment True View
A well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained in arms, is the best most natural defense of a free country.
JAMES MADISON

Arm Best Body Compose Defense Militia Most Natural People Regulated Trained
Any reading not of a vicious species must be a good substitute for the amusements too apt to fill up the leisure of the labouring classes.
JAMES MADISON

Class Good Labour Leisure Read Species Substitute Vicious
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

Amde Avail Choice Law Little Men Own
What spectacle can be more edifying or more seasonable, than that of Liberty and Learning, each leaning on the other for their mutual and surest support?
JAMES MADISON

Edify Learn Liberty More Other Seasonable Spectacle
The happy Union of these States is a wonder; their Constitution a miracle; their example the hope of Liberty throughout the world.
JAMES MADISON

Constitution Happy Hope Liberty Miracle Wonder
War contains so much folly, as well as wickedness, that much is to be hoped from the progress of reason.
JAMES MADISON

Contain Folly Hope Progress Reason Well Wickedness
A pure democracy is a society consisting of a small number of citizens, who assemble and administer the government in person.
JAMES MADISON

Administer Assemble Citizen Consist Democracy Government Number Pure Small Society
The number, the industry, and the morality of the priesthood, and the devotion of the people have been manifestly increased by the total separation of the church from the state.
JAMES MADISON

Devotion Industry Mainfrstly Morality Number People Priesthood
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

Cooperation Political Promotion Reconstruction Sincere Steadfast System
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.
JAMES MADISON

Administered Control Enable First Frame Government Men Over
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

Advantage Arm Being Constitution Country Every People Possess Preserve
The purpose of separation of church and state is to keep forever from these shores the ceaseless strife that has soaked the soil of Europe with blood for centuries.
JAMES MADISON

Ceaseless Church Country Dhore Forever Purpose Separation Soak Soil State Strifem
Where an excess of power prevails, property of no sort is duly respected. No man is safe in his opinions, his person, his faculties, or his possessions.
JAMES MADISON

Duly Excess Power Prevail Property Respect Sort
The personal right to acquire property, which is a natural right, gives to property, when acquired, a right to protection, as a social right.
JAMES MADISON

Acquire Personal Properly Property Protection Right Social
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

Elucidation Liable Maxim Misappled More Need Opinion Therefore

If men were angels, no government would be necessary.

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If men were angels, no government would be necessary.

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