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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

The truth is that all men having power ought to be mistrusted.
JAMES MADISON

All Men Mistrust Ought Power Truth
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
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
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
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.
JAMES MADISON

Criterion Gotten Majority Philosophic Suffrage Take Truth Ught
Ambition must be made to counteract ambition.
JAMES MADISON

Ambition Counteract Made
If men were angels, no government would be necessary.
JAMES MADISON

Angel Government Men Necessary
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 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
And I have no doubt that every new example will succeed, as every past one has done, in showing that religion and Government will both exist in greater purity, the less they are mixed together.
JAMES MADISON

Done Doubt Every Example Less Mix New Past Religion Succeed Together
The executive has no right, in any case, to decide the question, whether there is or is not cause for declaring war.
JAMES MADISON

Case Decide Declare Executive Question Right War
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
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
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
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
Commercial shackles are generally unjust, oppressive, and impolitic.
JAMES MADISON

Commercial Communication Free Generally Shackles

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.

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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.

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Popular Authors

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