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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

Of all the enemies of public liberty, war is perhaps the most to be dreaded, because it comprises and develops the germ of every other.
JAMES MADISON

All Enemy Comprise Develop Dread Liberty Most Perhaps Public
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
If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy.
JAMES MADISON

Come Country Enemy Fight Guise Land Oppression
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
Wherever there is interest and power to do wrong, wrong will generally be done.
JAMES MADISON

Done Generally Interest Power Wrong
The rights of persons, and the rights of property, are the objects, for the protection of which Government was instituted.
JAMES MADISON

Government Institute Object Person Property Protection Right
What is government itself but the greatest of all reflections on human nature?
JAMES MADISON

Government Human Itself Nature Reflection
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
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
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
That part of America which had encouraged them most had advanced most rapidly in population, agriculture and the arts.
JAMES MADISON

Advance Agriculture Art Country Most Part Population Rapid
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
Liberty may be endangered by the abuse of liberty, but also by the abuse of power.
JAMES MADISON

Abuse Endangered Liberty Power
The circulation of confidence is better than the circulation of money.
JAMES MADISON

Better Circulation Confidence Money
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
All men having power ought to be distrusted to a certain degree.
JAMES MADISON

Certain Degree Distrusted Men Ought Powe

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.

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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.

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