Knowledge will forever govern ignorance. James Madison More Quotes by James Madison More Quotes From James Madison I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents. James Madison liberty politics government The people can never willfully betray their own interests: But they may possibly be betrayed by the representatives of the people; and the danger will be evidently greater where the whole legislative trust is lodged in the hands of one body of men, than where the concurrence of separate and dissimilar bodies is required in every public act. James Madison men hands people That the foundation of our national policy should be laid in private morality. If individuals be not influenced by moral principles, it is in vain to look for public virtue; it is, therefore, the duty of legislators to enforce, both by precept and example, the utility, as well as the necessity, of a strict adherence to the rules of distributive justice. James Madison foundation voting justice No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare. James Madison democracies-have freedom war Religious bondage shackles and debilitates the mind and unfits it for every noble enterprise.... During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What have been its fruits? More or less, in all places, pride and indolence in the clergy; ignorance and servility in laity; in both, superstition, bigotry, and persecution. James Madison ignorance atheist religious What is government itself but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. James Madison patriotic angel nature We are right to take alarm at the first experiment upon our liberties. James Madison tyranny-founding-fathers alarms liberty If men were angels, no government would be necessary. James Madison adversity angel men The executive has no right, in any case, to decide the question, whether there is or is not cause for declaring war. James Madison tyranny-founding-fathers liberty war As long as the reason of man continues fallible, and he is at liberty to exercise it, different opinions will be formed. James Madison exercise men long The power to declare war, including the power of judging the causes of war, is fully and exclusively vested in the legislature. James Madison judging war peace [I]t is more convenient to prevent the passage of a law, than to declare it void after it has passed. James Madison void legislature law Wherever there is interest and power to do wrong, wrong will generally be done. James Madison liberty done reality The right of freely examining public characters and measures, and of free communication among the people thereon . . . has ever been justly deemed the only effectual guardian of every other right. James Madison communication character people No government, any more than an individual, will long be respected without being truly respectable; nor be truly respectable, without possessing a certain portion of order and stability. James Madison government order long Each State, in ratifying the Constitution, is considered as a sovereign body, independent of all others, and only to be bound by its own voluntary act. In this relation, then, the new Constitution will, if established, be a FEDERAL, and not a NATIONAL constitution. James Madison independent wisdom america Besides the advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation.... Notwithstanding the military establishments in the several kingdoms of Europe, which are carried as far as the public resources will bear, the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms. James Madison government military europe 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 government war peace People will continue to seek justice until it is found, or until liberty is lost in the pursuit. James Madison liberty justice people Cursed be all that learning that is contrary to the cross of Christ. James Madison god education bible
