“A well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained in arms, is the best most natural defense of a free country.”
Best“No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare.”
Freedom“A well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained in arms, is the best most natural defense of a free country.”
Best“If men were angels, no government would be necessary.”
Government“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.”
Men“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.”
Truth“The means of defense against foreign danger historically have become the instruments of tyranny at home.”
Home“The loss of liberty at home is to be charged to the provisions against danger, real or imagined, from abroad.”
Home“Do not separate text from historical background. If you do, you will have perverted and subverted the Constitution, which can only end in a distorted, bastardized form of illegitimate government.”
Government“The executive has no right, in any case, to decide the question, whether there is or is not cause for declaring war.”
War“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.”
Government“Religion flourishes in greater purity, without than with the aid of Government.”
Government“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.”
Government“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.”
Government“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.”
Freedom“The circulation of confidence is better than the circulation of money.”
Money“A sincere and steadfast co-operation in promoting such a reconstruction of our political system as would provide for the permanent liberty and happiness of the United States.”
Happiness“A pure democracy is a society consisting of a small number of citizens, who assemble and administer the government in person.”
Government“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.”
Government“The happy Union of these States is a wonder their Constitution a miracle their example the hope of Liberty throughout the world.”
Hope“Perhaps it is a universal truth that the loss of liberty at home is to be charged to provisions against danger, real or pretended, from abroad.”
Home“To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people, is a chimerical idea.”
Government