James Madison Quotes about Ambition

All James Madison Quotes Abuse Age Ambition quotes Army Art Atheism Atheist Authority Character Charity Choices Church Communication Community Conscience Constitution Corruption Country Democracy Devotion Diversity Doubt Duty Economy Education Energy Evil Exercise Failing Freedom Freedom Of Religion Freedom Of Speech Giving God Heart Home Honor House Human Nature Humanity Ignorance Independence Injustice Inspirational Judging Justice Liberty Loss Lying Military Office Opportunity Oppression Passion Past Patriotism Peace Politics Power Preparation Pride Progress Property Purpose Reflection Regret Religion Sacrifice Safety Second Amendment Separation Slavery Socialism Temptation Tyranny Violence Voting War Welfare Wisdom

A people armed and free, forms a barrier against the enterprises of ambition and is a bulwark for the nation against foreign invasion and domestic oppression.

A people armed and free, forms a barrier against the enterprises of ambition and is a bulwark for the nation against foreign invasion and domestic oppression.

James Madison

Strength, Peace, Ambition

Besides the advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation, the existence of subordinate governments, to which the people are attached, and by which the militia officers are appointed, forms a barrier against the enterprises of ambition, more insurmountable than any which a simple government of any form can admit of.

James Madison

Ambition, Simple, Government

James Madison, John Jay (1847). “The Federalist, on the New Constitution, Written in the Year 1788”, p.192

America united with a handful of troops, or without a single soldier, exhibits a more forbidding posture to foreign ambition than America disunited, with a hundred thousand veterans ready for combat.

James Madison

Ambition, America, Soldier

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay (1852). “The Federalist, on the new constitution, written in 1788, with an appendix, containing the letters of Pacificus and Helvidius on the proclamation of neutrality of 1793, also the original articles of confederation and the constitution of the United States”, p.188

Ambition must be made to counteract ambition.

James Madison

Ambition, Liberty, Made

The Federalist no. 51 (1788)

How could a readiness for war in time of peace be safely prohibited, unless we could prohibit, in like manner, the preparations and establishments of every hostile nation? The means of security can only be regulated by the means and the danger of attack. They will, in fact, be ever determined by these rules, and by no others . . . . If one nation maintains constantly a disciplined army, ready for service of ambition or revenge, it obliges the most pacific nations who may be within the reach of its enterprises to take corresponding precautions.

James Madison

Revenge, War, Ambition

"Federalist No. 41. General View of the Powers Conferred by the Constitution" by James Madison, www.congress.gov.