Top 25 Quotes by James Madison of 548 - Page 21

This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the

This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land.

James Madison

Law, Land, Constitution Of The United States

James Madison (1836). “The Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution: As Recommended by the General Convention at Philadelphia in 1787. Together with the Journal of the Federal Convention, Luther Martin's Letter, Yates's Minutes, Congressional Opinions, Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions of '98-'99, and Other Illustrations of the Constitution”, p.507

The free system of government we have established is so congenial with reason, with common sense, and with a universal feeling, that it must produce approbation and a desire of imitation, as avenues may be found for truth to the knowledge of nations.

James Madison

Government, Common Sense, Feelings

Letter to Pierre-Étienne du Ponceau (James Madison papers, Library of Congress), January 23, 1826.

The real difference of interests, lay not between large and small, but between the Northern and Southern states. The institution of slavery and its consequences formed a line of discrimination.

James Madison

Real, Differences, Southern

Wendell Phillips, James Madison, American Anti-Slavery Society (1856). “The Constitution a pro-slavery compact, or, Extracts from the Madison papers, etc”, p.35

What becomes of the surplus of human life? It is either, 1st. destroyed by infanticide, as among the Chinese and Lacedemonians; or 2d. it is stifled or starved, as among other nations whose population is commensurate to its food; or 3d. it is consumed by wars and endemic diseases; or 4th. it overflows, by emigration, to places where a surplus of food is attainable.

James Madison

War, Chinese, Balance

James Madison (1867). “1829-1836”, p.454

An armed and trained militia is the firmest bulwark of republics - that without standing armies their liberty can never be in danger, nor with large ones safe.

James Madison

Army, Patriotism, Liberty

James Madison, Ralph Ketcham “Selected Writings of James Madison”, Hackett Publishing

Outlets for the freed blacks are alone wanted for the erasure of the blot from our Republican character.

James Madison

Character, Slavery, Republican

James Madison (1865). “Letters and other writings of James Madison”, p.60

Every new and successful example of a perfect separation between ecclesiastical and civil matters is of importance.

James Madison

Successful, Perfect, Presidential

James Madison, David B. Mattern (1997). “James Madison's "Advice to My Country"”, p.89, University of Virginia Press

The Convention thought it wrong to admit in the Constitution the idea that there could be property in men.

James Madison

Men, Ideas, Slavery

James Madison (1836). “The Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution: As Recommended by the General Convention at Philadelphia, in 1787. Together with the Journal of the Federal Convention, Luther Martin's Letter, Yate's Minutes, Congressional Opinions, Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions of '98-'99, and Other Illustrations of the Constitution”

[In the case of] dangerous exercise of other powers, not granted by the said compact, the states, who are parties thereto, have the right, and are duty bound, to interpose for arresting the progress of the evil.

James Madison

Party, Exercise, Evil

James Madison (1836). “The Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution: As Recommended by the General Convention at Philadelphia in 1787. Together with the Journal of the Federal Convention, Luther Martin's Letter, Yates's Minutes, Congressional Opinions, Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions of '98-'99, and Other Illustrations of the Constitution”, p.497

The settled opinion here is that religion is essentially distinct from Civil Govt. and exempt from its cognizance; that a connection between them is injurious to both.

James Madison

Religion, Atheism, Connections

James Madison, David B. Mattern (1997). “James Madison's "Advice to My Country"”, p.89, University of Virginia Press

Happily for the states, they enjoy the utmost freedom of religion. This freedom arises from that multiplicity of sects which pervades America, and which is the best and only security for religious liberty in any society.

James Madison

Religious, America, Liberty

"The Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution".

Torrents of blood have been spilt in the old world, by vain attempts of the secular arm, to extinguish Religious discord, by proscribing all difference in religious opinion. Time has at length revealed the true remedy. Every relaxation of narrow and rigorous policy, wherever it has been tried, has been found to assuage the disease.

James Madison

Religious, Blood, Differences

James Madison (1819). “Religious Freedom. A memorial and remonstrance drawn by ... J. Madison, late President of the United States, ... against the general assessment in “a Bill establishing provision for the teachers of the Christian religion, presented to the General Assembly”, p.10

[The proposed establishment] will have a . . . tendency to banish our Citizens. . . . To superadd a fresh motive to emigration by revoking the liberty which they now enjoy, would be the same species of folly which has dishonoured and depopulated flourishing kingdoms.

James Madison

Church, Liberty, Would Be

James Madison, Ralph Ketcham “Selected Writings of James Madison”, Hackett Publishing

Inference is founded upon obvious reasons. Regard to reputation has a less active influence, when the infamy of a bad action is to be divided upon a number, than when it is to fall singly upon one. A spirit of faction . . . will often hurry the persons of whom they were composed into improprieties and excesses for which they would blush in a private capacity.

James Madison

Fall, Numbers, Excess

Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, James Madison (2018). “America's Founding Documents: The Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, the United States Constitution, the Federalist Papers, and the Bill of Rights”, p.128, First Avenue Editions

The American people are too well schooled in the duty and practice of submitting to the will of the majority to permit any serious uneasiness on that account

James Madison

Practice, People, Serious

James Madison (1867). “1829-1836”, p.94

The nation which reposes on the pillow of political confidence, will sooner or later end its political existence in a deadly lethargy.

James Madison

Political, Politics, Ends

James Madison (1867). “1829-1836”, p.511

In a society under the forms of which the stronger faction can readily unite and oppress the weaker, anarchy may as truly be said to reign as in a state of nature.

James Madison

Stronger, Tyranny Of The Majority, May

James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay (2016). “The Federalist Papers: The Making of the US Constitution”, p.110, Arcturus Publishing

A public debt is a public curse.

James Madison

Presidential, Debt, Curse

Letter to Henry Lee, 13 Apr. 1790

The protection of these faculties is the first object of government.

James Madison

Government, Diversity, Politics

The Federalist no. 10 (1788)

But the mere circumstance of complexion cannot deprive them of the character of men.

James Madison

Character, Men, Human Nature

James Madison, Ralph Ketcham “Selected Writings of James Madison”, Hackett Publishing

The latent causes of faction are thus sown in the nature of man; and we see them everywhere brought into different degrees of activity, according to the different circumstances of civil society.

James Madison

Men, Causes, Degrees

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (2015). “The Federalist Papers: A Collection of Essays Written in Favour of the New Constitution”, p.48, Coventry House Publishing

Ecclesiastical establishments tend to great ignorance and corruption

James Madison

Ignorance, Religious Truth, Corruption

James Madison, David B. Mattern (1997). “James Madison's "Advice to My Country"”, p.90, University of Virginia Press

The members of the legislative department . . . are numerous. They are distributed and dwell among the people at large. Their connections of blood, of friendship, and of acquaintance embrace a great proportion of the most influential part of the society . . . they are more immediately the confidential guardians of their rights and liberties.

James Madison

Blood, Rights, People

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (2015). “The Federalist Papers: A Collection of Essays Written in Favour of the New Constitution”, p.249, Coventry House Publishing

The American people owe it to themselves, and to the cause of free Government, to prove by their establishments for the advancement and diffusion of knowledge, that their political Institutionsare as favorable to the intellectual and moral improvement of Man as they are conformable to his individual and social rights.

James Madison

Education, Men, Rights

James Madison, Ralph Ketcham “Selected Writings of James Madison”, Hackett Publishing

It may be considered as an objection inherent in the principle, that as every appeal to the people would carry an implication of some defect in the government, frequent appeals would in great measure deprive the government of that veneration which time bestows on every thing, and without which perhaps the wisest and freest governments would not possess the requisite stability . . . a constitutional road to the decision of the people ought to be marked out and kept open, for certain great and extraordinary occasions

James Madison

Government, People, Decision

James Madison Quotes - Page 21