50 quotes by James Madison

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“The happy Union of these States is a wonder their Constitution a miracle their example the hope of Liberty throughout the world.”— James Madison
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“What spectacle can be more edifying or more seasonable, than that of Liberty and Learning, each leaning on the other for their mutual and surest support?”— James Madison
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“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.”— James Madison
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“All men having power ought to be distrusted to a certain degree.”— James Madison
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“The circulation of confidence is better than the circulation of money.”— James Madison
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“Where an excess of power prevails, property of no sort is duly respected. No man is safe in his opinions, his person, his faculties, or his possessions.”— James Madison
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“Wherever there is interest and power to do wrong, wrong will generally be done.”— James Madison
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“The truth is that all men having power ought to be mistrusted.”— James Madison
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“The capacity of the female mind for studies of the highest order cannot be doubted, having been sufficiently illustrated by its works of genius, of erudition, and of science.”— James Madison
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“Americans have the right and advantage of being armed - unlike the citizens of other countries whose governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.”— James Madison
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“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.”— James Madison
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“Every nation whose affairs betray a want of wisdom and stability may calculate on every loss which can be sustained from the more systematic policy of its wiser neighbors.”— James Madison
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“A well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained in arms, is the best most natural defense of a free country.”— James Madison
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“Learned Institutions ought to be favorite objects with every free people. They throw that light over the public mind which is the best security against crafty and dangerous encroachments on the public liberty.”— James Madison
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“Whenever a youth is ascertained to possess talents meriting an education which his parents cannot afford, he should be carried forward at the public expense.”— James Madison
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“The class of citizens who provide at once their own food and their own raiment, may be viewed as the most truly independent and happy.”— James Madison
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“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.”— James Madison
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“No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare.”— James Madison
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“Knowledge will forever govern ignorance and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.”— James Madison
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“If men were angels, no government would be necessary.”— James Madison
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“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.”— James Madison
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“A well-instructed people alone can be permanently a free people.”— James Madison
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“The executive has no right, in any case, to decide the question, whether there is or is not cause for declaring war.”— James Madison
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“War contains so much folly, as well as wickedness, that much is to be hoped from the progress of reason.”— James Madison
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“The advancement and diffusion of knowledge is the only guardian of true liberty.”— James Madison