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Liberty may be endangered by the abuse of liberty, but also by the abuse of power.

James Madison

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
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
Let me recommend the best medicine in the world: a long journey, at a mild season, through a pleasant country, in easy stages.
JAMES MADISON

Country Journey Leasant Mild Pleasant Season
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
As a man is said to have a right to his property, he may be equally said to have a property in his rights.
JAMES MADISON

Equal Man Property Right Said
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
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

Branch Commerce Hazard Merchant Plan Prudent Unlawful
To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people, is a chimerical idea.
JAMES MADISON

Form Government Happiness Liberty People Secure Suppose Virtue
Americans have the right and advantage of being armed – unlike the citizens of other countries whose governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.
JAMES MADISON

Advantage Arm Being Citizen Country Government People Right Trust
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.
JAMES MADISON

Account Advance Between Debt Former Indispensible Live Made State
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.
JAMES MADISON

Charter Constitution Fountain Legimitate People Power
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
Union of religious sentiments begets a surprising confidence.
JAMES MADISON

Beget Confidence Religion Sentiment Surprise Union
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
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
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

Liberty may be endangered by the abuse of liberty, but also by the abuse of power.

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Liberty may be endangered by the abuse of liberty, but also by the abuse of power.

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