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The operations of the federal government will be most extensive and important in times of war and danger; those of the state governments, in times of peace and security.

James Madison

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
Each generation should be made to bear the burden of its own wars, instead of carrying them on, at the expense of other generations.
JAMES MADISON

Bear Burden Each Generation Made Own War
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
Liberty may be endangered by the abuse of liberty, but also by the abuse of power.
JAMES MADISON

Abuse Endangered Liberty Power
I should not regret a fair and full trial of the entire abolition of capital punishment.
JAMES MADISON

Abolition Capital Entire Fair Punishment Regret Trail
A popular government without popular information or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce, or a tragedy, or perhaps both.
JAMES MADISON

Acquire Farce Government Information Mean Popular Prologue Tragedy
If men were angels, no government would be necessary.
JAMES MADISON

Angel Government Men Necessary
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
Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.
JAMES MADISON

Forever Govern Governor Knowledge Mean Own People Power Themselves
Ambition must be made to counteract ambition.
JAMES MADISON

Ambition Counteract Made
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
By rendering the labor of one, the property of the other, they cherish pride, luxury, and vanity on one side; on the other, vice and servility, or hatred and revolt.
JAMES MADISON

Cherish Labor Luxury Other Pride Property Render Vanity
Every nation whose affairs betray a want of wisdom and stability may calculate on every loss which can be sustained from the more systematic policy of its wiser neighbors.
JAMES MADISON

Affair Calculate Loss Nation Neighbor Stability Sustain Systematic Wisdom
The essence of Government is power; and power, lodged as it must be in human hands, will ever be liable to abuse.
JAMES MADISON

Abuse Essence Government Hand Human Liable Lodge Must Power
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
Despotism can only exist in darkness, and there are too many lights now in the political firmament to permit it to remain anywhere, as it has heretofore done, almost everywhere.
JAMES MADISON

Darkness Exist Firmament Light Many Now Political

The operations of the federal government will be most extensive and important in times of war and danger; those of the state governments, in times of peace and security.

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The operations of the federal government will be most extensive and important in times of war and danger; those of the state governments, in times of peace and security.

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