Top 25 Quotes by Alexander Hamilton of 385 - Page 5

No person that has enjoyed the sweets of liberty can be insensible of its infinite value, or can reflect on its reverse without horror and detestation

No person that has enjoyed the sweets of liberty can be insensible of its infinite value, or can reflect on its reverse without horror and detestation

Alexander Hamilton

Sweet, Liberty, Horror

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.9

If it be asked what is to restrain the House of Representatives from making legal discriminations in favor of themselves and a particular class of the society? I answer, the genius of the whole system, the nature of just and constitutional laws, and above all the vigilant and manly spirit which actuates the people of America, a spirit which nourishes freedom, and in return is nourished by it. If this spirit shall ever be so far debased as to tolerate a law not obligatory on the Legislature as well as on the people, the people will be prepared to tolerate anything but liberty.

Alexander Hamilton

Law, Class, America

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (1842). “The Federalist, on the New Constitution, Written in the Year 1788”, p.265

[If you understood the natural rights of mankind,] [y]ou would be convinced that natural liberty is a gift of the beneficent Creator to the whole human race, and that civil liberty is founded in that, and cannot be wrested from any people without the most manifest violation of justice.

Alexander Hamilton

Rights, Race, People

The powers contained in a constitution...ought to be construed liberally in advancement of the public good.

Alexander Hamilton

Advancement, Constitution, Ought

I have a tender reliance on the mercy of the Almighty, through the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am a sinner. I look to Him for mercy; pray for me.

Alexander Hamilton

Jesus, Looks, Merit

A struggle for liberty is in itself respectable and glorious. . . . When conducted with magnanimity, justice and humanity, it ought to command the admiration of every friend to human nature. But if sullied by crimes and extravagancies, it loses its respectability.

Alexander Hamilton

Struggle, Justice, Humanity

Alexander Hamilton, Donald R. Hickey, Connie D. Clark (2006). “Citizen Hamilton: The Wit and Wisdom of an American Founder”, p.88, Rowman & Littlefield

As riches increase and accumulate in few hands, as luxury prevails in society, virtue will be in a greater degree considered as only a graceful appendage of wealth, and the tendency of things will be to depart from the republican standard. This is the real disposition of human nature; it is what neither the honorable member nor myself can correct. It is a common misfortunate that awaits our State constitution, as well as all others.

Alexander Hamilton

Real, Hands, Luxury

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.443

Opinion, whether well or ill-founded, is the governing principle of human affairs

Alexander Hamilton

Principles, Opinion, Affair

Alexander Hamilton, Donald R. Hickey, Connie D. Clark (2006). “Citizen Hamilton: The Wit and Wisdom of an American Founder”, p.112, Rowman & Littlefield

No man in his senses can hesitate in choosing to be free, rather than a slave.

Alexander Hamilton

Men, Liberty, American Revolution

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.3

If duties are too high, they lessen the consumption; the collection is eluded; and the product to the treasury is not so great as when they are confined within proper and moderate bounds. This forms a complete barrier against any material oppression of the citizens by taxes of this class, and is itself a natural limitation of the power of imposing them.

Alexander Hamilton

Class, Citizens, Taxation

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (2009). “The Federalist”, p.130, Harvard University Press

Energy in the executive is a leading character in the definition of good government. It is essential to the protection of the community against foreign attacks; it is not less essential to the steady administration of the laws; to the protection of property against those irregular and high-handed combinations which sometimes interrupt the ordinary course of justice; to the security of liberty against the enterprises and assaults of ambition, of faction, and of anarchy.

Alexander Hamilton

Character, Ambition, Law

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, Quentin P. Taylor, John Jay (1998). “The Essential Federalist: A New Reading of the Federalist Papers”, p.133, Rowman & Littlefield

Good constitutions are formed upon a comparison of the liberty of the individual with the strength of government: If the tone of either be too high, the other will be weakened too much. It is the happiest possible mode of conciliating these objects, to institute one branch peculiarly endowed with sensibility, another with knowledge and firmness. Through the opposition and mutual control of these bodies, the government will reach, in its regular operations, the perfect balance between liberty and power.

Alexander Hamilton

Government, Perfect, Balance

Alexander Hamilton (2017). “The Political Writings of Alexander Hamilton:”, p.659, Cambridge University Press

Those who do not industrialize become hewers of wood and hawkers of water

Alexander Hamilton

Water, Woods, Hawkers

A treaty cannot be made which alters the Constitution of the country, or which infringes and express exceptions to the power of the Constitution.

Alexander Hamilton

Country, Constitution, Made

Alexander Hamilton (1851). “The Works of Alexander Hamilton: Cabinet papers [contin.] 1794-1795. [Miscellanies, 1794-1795] Military papers. 1798-1800. Correspondence [contin.] 1789-1795”, p.121

Here sir, the people govern.

Alexander Hamilton

People, Representatives

Alexander Hamilton, Morton J. Frisch (1985). “Selected writings and speeches of Alexander Hamilton”, Aei Pr

The inquiry constantly is what will please, not what will benefit the people. In such a government there can be nothing but temporary expedient, fickleness, and folly.

Alexander Hamilton

Government, People, Inquiry

Alexander Hamilton, Harold Coffin Syrett, Jacob Ernest Cooke (1962). “Papers: Harold C. Syrett, Editor; Jacob E. Cooke, Associate Editor”

Little more can reasonably be aimed at with respect to the people at large than to have them properly armed.

Alexander Hamilton

People, Second Amendment, Littles

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay, J.R. Pole (2005). “The Federalist”, p.156, Hackett Publishing

The militia is a voluntary force not associated or under the control of the States except when called out; [ when called into actual service] a permanent or long standing force would be entirely different in make-up and call.

Alexander Hamilton

Long, Patriotism, Different

Allow a government to decline paying its debts and you overthrow all public morality-you unhinge all the principles that preserve the limits of free constitutions. Nothing can more affect national prosperity than a constant and systematic attention to extinguish the present debt and to avoid as much as possibly the incurring of any new debt.

Alexander Hamilton

Government, Principles, Attention

A share in the sovereignty of the state, which is exercised by the citizens at large, in voting at elections is one of the most important rights of the subject, and in a republic ought to stand foremost in the estimation of the law...That portion of the sovereignty, to which each individual is entitled, can never be too highly prized. It is that for which we have fought and bled.

Alexander Hamilton

Rights, Law, Voting

The fabric of American empire ought to rest on the solid basis of THE CONSENT OF THE PEOPLE. The streams of national power ought to flow from that pure, original fountain of all legitimate authority.

Alexander Hamilton

People, Fabric, Empires

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (2003). “The Federalist: With Letters of Brutus”, p.106, Cambridge University Press

In the main it will be found that a power over a man's support [salary] is a power over his will.

Alexander Hamilton

Power, Men, Support

... for it is a truth, which the experience of all ages has attested, that the people are commonly most in danger when the means of insuring their rights are in the possession of those of whom they entertain the least suspicion.

Alexander Hamilton

Mean, Gun, Rights

The representatives of the people, in a popular assembly, seem sometimes to fancy that they are the people themselves, and betray strong symptoms of impatience and disgust at the least sign of opposition from any other quarter; as if the exercise of its rights, by either the executive or judiciary, were a breach of their privilege and an outrage to their dignity.

Alexander Hamilton

Strong, Exercise, Rights

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (2015). “The Federalist Papers: A Collection of Essays Written in Favour of the New Constitution”, p.351, Coventry House Publishing

It is of the nature of war to increase the executive at the expense of the legislative authority.

Alexander Hamilton

War, Authority, Increase

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (2014). “The Federalist Papers”, p.33, Courier Corporation

Alexander Hamilton Quotes - Page 5

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