No political dreamer was ever wild enough to think of breaking down the lines which separate the States and compounding the American people into one common mass. John Marshall More Quotes by John Marshall More Quotes From John Marshall When a law is in its nature a contract, when absolute rights have vested under that contract, a repeal of the law cannot divest those rights. John Marshall contractsrightslaw In a free government almost all other rights would become worthless if the government possessed power over the private fortune of every citizen. John Marshall citizensgovernmentrights The federal government is acknowledged by all to be one of enumerated powers. The principle, that it can exercise only the powers granted to it . . . is now universally admitted. John Marshall governmentprinciplesexercise The power to tax involves the power to destroy;...the power to destroy may defeat and render useless the power to create. John Marshall libertyuselessmay My gift of John Marshall to the people of the United States was the proudest act of my life. There is no act of my life on which I reflect with more pleasure. I have given to my country a judge equal to a Hole, Holt, or a Mansfield. John Marshall judgingcountrypeople The acme of judicial distinction means the ability to look a lawyer straight in the eyes for two hours and not hear a damned word he says. John Marshall eyetwomean Whether a law be void for its repugnancy to the Constitution, is, at all times, a question of much delicacy, which out seldom, if ever, to be decided in the affirmative, in doubtful case. ... But it is not on slight implication and vague conjecture that the legislature is to be pronounced to have transcended its powers, and its acts to be considered as void. The opposition between the Constitution and the law should be such that the judge feels a clear and strong conviction of their incompatibility with each other. John Marshall strongjudginglaw I have always believed that national character... depends more on the female part of society than is generally imagined. Precepts from the lips of a beloved mother... sink deep in the heart, and make an impression which is seldom entirely effaced. John Marshall motherheartcharacter It is the peculiar province of the legislature to prescribe general rules for the government of society; the application of those rules to individuals in society would seem to be the duty of other departments. John Marshall individualgovernmentpeculiar Have no power, by taxation or otherwise, to retard, impede, burden or in any manner control the operations of the constitutional laws enacted by Congress. John Marshall burdentaxationlaw The peculiar circumstances of the moment may render a measure more or less wise, but cannot render it more or less constitutional. John Marshall peculiarwisemay This government is acknowledged by all, to be one of enumerated powers. John Marshall government State inspection laws, health laws, and laws for regulating the internal commerce of a State, and those which respect turnpike roads, ferries, &c. are not within the power granted to Congress. ... Inspection laws, quarantine laws, health laws of every description, as well as laws for regulating the internal commerce of a State, and those which respect turnpike roads, ferries, &c., are component parts of this mass. No direct general power over these objects is granted to Congress, and, consequently, they remain subject to State legislation. John Marshall quarantinehealthlaw I fear we may live to see another revolution. John Marshall american-revolutionrevolutionmay The French Revolution will be found to have had great influence on the strength of parties, and on the subsequent political transactions of the United States. John Marshall united-statespoliticalparty No one imagines that a law professing to tax will be permitted to destroy. John Marshall taxesimaginelaw That the people have an original right to establish, for their future government, such principles as, in their opinion, shall most conduce to their own happiness, is the basis, on which the whole American fabric has been erected.... The principles, therefore, so established, are deemed fundamental. And as the authority, from which they proceed, is supreme ... they are designed to be permanent.... The powers of the legislature are defined, and limited; and that those limits may not be mistaken, or forgotten, the constitution is written. John Marshall fabricgovernmentpeople Seldom has a battle, in which greater numbers were John Marshall battleimportantnumbers The most lively fancy aided by the strongest description cannot equal the reality of the opera. John Marshall operafancyreality Let the end be legitimate, let it be within the scope of the constitution, and all means which are appropriate, which are plainly adapted to that end, which are not prohibited, but consist with the letter and spirit of the constitution, are constitutional. John Marshall spiritlettersmean
