Quotessence
Home / Books / The Essential Federalist: A New Reading of the Federalist Papers

The Essential Federalist: A New Reading of the Federalist Papers

Book by Alexander Hamilton · 5 quotes · People, Government, May

Filter quotes by topic

AllPeopleGovernmentMayLawLibertyMenBodyConstitutionIfsMankindFederalist PapersHuman NatureMeanVirtueWellsAmericaCourtEssentialsExampleInstitutions

The Essential Federalist: A New Reading of the Federalist Papers Quotes

“The proposed Constitution, so far from implying an abolition of the State governments, makes them constituent parts of the national sovereignty, by allowing them a direct representation in the Senate, and leaves in their possession certain exclusive and very important portions of sovereign power. This fully corresponds, in every rational import of the terms, with the idea of a federal government.”

ImportantIdeasStatesGovernmentCertainTermDirectConstitutionPossessionRationalAllowingSenatePortionsRepresentationSovereignFederal GovernmentSovereigntyExclusiveAbolitionConstituentsImportsState GovernmentFederalistFederalist PapersFederalismImplyingNational Sovereignty
Book:The Essential Federalist: A New Reading of the Federalist Papers
Create image

“If it be said that the legislative body are themselves the constitutional judges of their own powers, and that the construction they put upon them is conclusive upon the other departments, it may be answered, that this cannot be the natural presumption, where it is not be collected from any particular provisions in the Constitution.”

IfsMaySaidBodyNaturalParticularJudgingConstitutionCongressDepartmentConstructionProvisionLegislaturePresumption
Book:The Essential Federalist: A New Reading of the Federalist Papers
Create image

“[T]he Constitution ought to be the standard of construction for the laws, and that wherever there is an evident opposition, the laws ought to give place to the Constitution. But this doctrine is not deducible from any circumstance peculiar to the plan of convention, but from the general theory of a limited Constitution.”

GivingLawPlansTheoryOughtCircumstancesStandardsConstitutionDoctrineOppositionPeculiarConstructionConventionsEvident
Book:The Essential Federalist: A New Reading of the Federalist Papers
Create image

“The interpretation of the laws is the proper and peculiar province of the courts. A constitution is, in fact, and must be regarded by the judges, as fundamental law. It therefore belongs to them to ascertain its meaning, as well as the meaning of any particular act proceeding from the legislative body. If there should happen to be an irreconcilable variance between the two, that which has the superior obligation and validity ought, of course, to be preferred; or, in other words, the Constitution ought to be preferred to the statute, the intention of the people to the intention of their agents.”

PeopleIfsShouldWellsTwoFactsBodyHappensLawCoursesParticularJudgingOughtConstitutionFundamentalsCourtIntentionObligationSuperiorsAgentsInterpretationPeculiarProvincesValidityProceedingJudiciaryStatutesFederalist PapersVariance
Book:The Essential Federalist: A New Reading of the Federalist Papers
Create image

“[E]very act of a delegated authority, contrary to the tenor of the commission under which it is exercised, is void. No legislative act, therefore, contrary to the Constitution, can be valid. To deny this, would be to affirm, that the deputy is greater than his principal; that the servant is above his master; that the representatives of the people are superior to the people themselves; that men acting by virtue of powers, may do not only what their powers do not authorize, but what they forbid.”

PeopleMenMayWould BeActingVirtueGreaterMastersAuthorityConstitutionDenyContrarySuperiorsServantVoidRepresentativesPrincipalNotableTenorsDeputies
Book:The Essential Federalist: A New Reading of the Federalist Papers
Create image