Top 25 Quotes by Alexander Hamilton of 385 - Page 4

There may be in every government a few choice spirits, who may act from more worthy motives. One great error is that we suppose mankind more honest than they are. Our prevailing passions are ambition and interest.

There may be in every government a few choice spirits, who may act from more worthy motives. One great error is that we suppose mankind more honest than they are. Our prevailing passions are ambition and interest.

Alexander Hamilton

Passion, Ambition, Errors

Alexander Hamilton (1904). “The Works of Alexander Hamilton”

That experience is the parent of wisdom is an adage the truth of which is recognized by the wisest as well as the simplest of mankind.

Alexander Hamilton

Parent, Human Nature, Adages

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, Quentin P. Taylor, John Jay (1998). “The Essential Federalist: A New Reading of the Federalist Papers”, p.137, Rowman & Littlefield

Schemes to subvert the liberties of a great community require time to mature them for execution.

Alexander Hamilton

Community, Liberty, Execution

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (2014). “The Federalist Papers”, p.124, Courier Corporation

In a free government, the security for civil rights must be the same as that for religious rights. It consists in the one case in the multiplicity of interests, and in the other in the multiplicity of sects.

Alexander Hamilton

Religious, Rights, Government

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (1842). “The Federalist, on the New Constitution, Written in the Year 1788”, p.241

Every individual of the community at large has an equal right to the protection of government.

Alexander Hamilton

Government, Community, Protection

Alexander Hamilton (1850). “The works of Alexander Hamilton: comprising his correspondence, and his political and official writings, exclusive of the Federalist, civil and military. Published from the original manuscripts deposited in the Department of State, by order of the Joint Library Committee of Congress”, p.418

Nobody expects to trust his body overmuch after the age of fifty.

Alexander Hamilton

Age, Body, Fifty

The art of reading is to skip judiciously.

Alexander Hamilton

Art, Reading, Skip

Perhaps myself the first, at some expense of popularity, to unfold the true character of Jefferson, it is too late for me to become his apologist. Nor can I have any disposition to do it. I admit that his politics are tinctured with fanaticism, that he is too much in earnest in his democracy, that he has been a mischievous enemy to the principle measures of our past administration, that he is crafty & persevering in his objects, that he is not scrupulous about the means of success, nor very mindful of truth, and that he is a contemptible hypocrite.

Alexander Hamilton

Truth, Character, Hypocrite

Alexander Hamilton (1851). “Correspondence [contin.] 1795-1804; 1777; 1791. Letters of H.G. 1789. Address to public creditors. 1790. Vindication of funding system. 1791”, p.419

Experience teaches, that men are often so much governed by what they are accustomed to see and practice, that the simplest and most obvious improvements . . . are adopted with hesitation, reluctance, and slow gradations.

Alexander Hamilton

Education, Men, Practice

Alexander Hamilton, Donald R. Hickey, Connie D. Clark (2006). “Citizen Hamilton: The Wit and Wisdom of an American Founder”, p.73, Rowman & Littlefield

Civil liberty is only natural liberty, modified and secured by the sanctions of civil society. It is not a thing, in its own nature, precarious and dependent on human will and caprice; but it is conformable to the constitution of man, as well as necessary to the well-being of society.

Alexander Hamilton

Men, Liberty, Constitution

Alexander Hamilton, John Church Hamilton (1850). “The Works of Alexander Hamilton: Miscellanies, 1774-1789: A full vindication; The farmer refuted; Quebec bill; Resolutions in Congress; Letters from Phocion; New-York Legislature, etc”, p.61

A national debt if it is not excessive will be to us a national blessing; it will be powerfull cement of our union. It will also create a necessity for keeping up taxation to a degree which without being oppressive, will be a spur to industry.

Alexander Hamilton

Blessing, Unions, Spurs

Alexander Hamilton (1850). “The Works of Alexander Hamilton: Correspondence. 1769-1789”, p.257

In a government framed for durable liberty, not less regard must be paid to giving the magistrate a proper degree of authority, to make and execute the laws with rigour, than to guarding against encroachments upon the rights of the community. As too much power leads to despotism, too little leads to anarchy, and both eventually to the ruin of the people.

Alexander Hamilton

Law, Rights, Government

Alexander Hamilton (1961). “1779-1781”

Divide et impera must be the motto of every nation that either hates or fears us.

Alexander Hamilton

Hate, Motto, Divides

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (2014). “The Federalist Papers”, p.31, Courier Corporation

There is no position which depends on clearer principles than that every act of a delegated authority, contrary to the commission under which it is exercised, is void. No legislative act, therefore, contrary to the Constitution, can be valid.

Alexander Hamilton

Principles, Void, Constitution

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (2004). “The Federalist Papers”, p.556, Simon and Schuster

Take mankind as they are, and what are they governed by? Their passions.

Alexander Hamilton

Passion, Human Nature, Mankind

Alexander Hamilton (1962). “Jan. 1787-May 1788.-v. 5.June 1778-Nov. 1789.-v. 6. Dec. 1789-Aug. 1790”

Happy will it be for ourselves, and most honorable for human nature, if we have wisdom and virtue enough to set so glorious an example to mankind!

Alexander Hamilton

Example, Human Nature, Virtue

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, Quentin P. Taylor, John Jay (1998). “The Essential Federalist: A New Reading of the Federalist Papers”, p.60, Rowman & Littlefield

This balance between the National and State governments ought to be dwelt on with peculiar attention, as it is of the utmost importance. It forms a double security to the people. If one encroaches on their rights they will find a powerful protection in the other. Indeed, they will both be prevented from overpassing their constitutional limits by a certain rivalship, which will ever subsist between them.

Alexander Hamilton

Powerful, Rights, Government

Alexander Hamilton, John Church Hamilton (1850). “The Works of Alexander Hamilton: Miscellanies, 1774-1789: A full vindication; The farmer refuted; Quebec bill; Resolutions in Congress; Letters from Phocion; New-York Legislature, etc”, p.444

The safety of a republic depends essentially on the energy of a common national sentiment; on a uniformity of principles and habits; on the exemption of the citizens from foreign bias and prejudice; and on that love of country which will almost invariably be found to be closely connected with birth, education and family.

Alexander Hamilton

Country, Bias And Prejudice, Safety

Alexander Hamilton, Donald R. Hickey, Connie D. Clark (2006). “Citizen Hamilton: The Wit and Wisdom of an American Founder”, p.108, Rowman & Littlefield

That Americans are entitled to freedom is incontestable on every rational principle. All men have one common original: they participate in one common nature, and consequently have one common right. No reason can be assigned why one man should exercise any power or preeminence over his fellow-creatures more than another; unless they have voluntarily vested him with it.

Alexander Hamilton

Exercise, Men, Liberty

Alexander Hamilton (1850). “The works of Alexander Hamilton: comprising his correspondence, and his political and official writings, exclusive of the Federalist, civil and military. Published from the original manuscripts deposited in the Department of State, by order of the Joint Library Committee of Congress”, p.3

It is an unquestionable truth, that the body of the people in every country desire sincerely its prosperity. But it is equally unquestionable that they do not possess the discernment and stability necessary for systematic government. To deny that they are frequently led into the grossest of errors, by misinformation and passion, would be a flattery which their own good sense must despise.

Alexander Hamilton

Country, Passion, Errors

Alexander Hamilton, John Church Hamilton (1850). “The Works of Alexander Hamilton: Miscellanies, 1774-1789: A full vindication; The farmer refuted; Quebec bill; Resolutions in Congress; Letters from Phocion; New-York Legislature, etc”, p.447

...that standing army can never be formidable (threatening) to the liberties of the people, while there is a large body of citizens, little if at all inferior to them in the use of arms.

Alexander Hamilton

Army, Gun, Law

Common interest may always be reckoned upon as the surest bond of sympathy.

Alexander Hamilton

May, Common, Human Nature

Alexander Hamilton (1831). “The Federalist on the New Constitution, Written in the Year 1788, with an Appendix Containing the Letters of Pacificus and Helvidius on the Proclamation of Neutrality of 1793”, p.166

In the general course of human nature, A power over a man's subsistence amounts to a power over his will.

Alexander Hamilton

Power, Reality, Men

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (2009). “The Federalist”, p.518, Harvard University Press

Were it not that it might require too long a discussion, it would not be difficult to demonstrate that a large and well-organized republic can scarcely lose its liberty from any other cause than that of anarchy, to which a contempt of the laws is the high-road.

Alexander Hamilton

Law, Long, Liberty

Alexander Hamilton (1851). “The Works of Alexander Hamilton: Comprising His Correspondence, and His Political and Official Writings, Exclusive of the Federalist, Civil and Military. Published from the Original Manuscripts Deposited in the Department of State, by Order of the Joint Library Committee of Congress”, p.164

Man is a reasoning rather than a reasonable animal.

Alexander Hamilton

Animal, Men, Humanity

Alexander Hamilton Quotes - Page 4

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