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If men were angels, no government would be necessary.

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

Abridgement Believe Encroachment Freedom Gradual Instance More People Silent
Religious bondage shackles and debilitates the mind and unfits it for every noble enterprise, every expanded prospect.
JAMES MADISON

Body Bondage Debilitate Enterprise Every Expand Mind Nobel People Religious Shackle Unfit
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
Commercial shackles are generally unjust, oppressive, and impolitic.
JAMES MADISON

Commercial Communication Free Generally Shackles
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
War should only be declared by the authority of the people, whose toils and treasures are to support its burdens, instead of the government which is to reap its fruits.
JAMES MADISON

Authority Declare Fruit Government Real Support Treasure
As long as the reason of man continues fallible, and he is at liberty to exercise it, different opinions will be formed.
JAMES MADISON

Continue Excercise Fallible Hope Liberty Long Reason
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

Abuse Alone Chequered Press
In no instance have… the churches been guardians of the liberties of the people.
JAMES MADISON

Church Guardian Instance Liberation People
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
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
I entirely concur in the propriety of resorting to the sense in which the Constitution was accepted and ratified by the nation. In that sense alone it is the legitimate Constitution.
JAMES MADISON

Proprietor Accept Concur Constitution Entire Resort Sense
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
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
I have no doubt but that the misery of the lower classes will be found to abate whenever the Government assumes a freer aspect and the laws favor a subdivision of Property.
JAMES MADISON

Abate Assume Class Doubt Found Government Misery
Learned Institutions ought to be favorite objects with every free people.
JAMES MADISON

Favourite Free Institution Learn Object Ought People

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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