alexander-hamilton Quotes About interest

Source: The works of Alexander Hamilton: containing his correspondence, and his political and official writings, exclusive of the Federalist, civil and military

“There may be in every government a few choice spirits, who may act from more worthy motives. One great error is that we suppose mankind more honest than they are. Our prevailing passions are ambition and interest.”

May Government Spirit Choices Passion Interest Mankind Honest Human Nature Ambition Errors Worthy Motive Prevailing

Book:The Works of Alexander Hamilton

Source: The Works of Alexander Hamilton

“Has it not. . . invariably been found that momentary passions, and immediate interests, have a more active and imperious control over human conduct than general or remote considerations of policy, utility and justice?”

Humans Passion Found Interest Justice Human Nature Policy Active Consideration Utility Momentary

Book:The Federalist, on the New Constitution, Written in the Year 1788

Source: The Federalist, on the New Constitution, Written in the Year 1788

“The history of human conduct does not warrant that exalted opinion of human virtue which would make it wise in a nation to commit interests of so delicate and momentous a kind as those which concern its intercourse with the rest of the world, to the sole disposal of a magistrate, created and circumstanced, as would be a president of the United States.”

Source: The Federalist on the New Constitution

“This position will not be disputed so long as it is admitted that the desire of reward is one of the strongest incentives of human conduct, or that the best security for the fidelity of mankind is to make their interest coincide with their duty. Even the love of fame, the ruling passion of the noblest minds... would on the contrary deter him from the undertaking, when he foresaw that he must quit the scene before he could accomplish the work.”

“The experience of treaties being broken with impunity provide an afflicting lesson to mankind how little dependence is to be placed on treaties which have no other sanction than the obligations of good faith; and which oppose general considerations of peace and justice to the impulse of any immediate interest and passion.”

Littles Passion Interest Justice Mankind Human Nature Broken Lessons Obligation Impulse Consideration Dependence Sanctions Treaties Peace And Justice Impunity Good Faith Being Broken

Author:Alexander Hamilton

“Man is very much a creature of habit. A thing that rarely strikes his senses will generally have but little influence upon his mind. A government continually at a distance and out of sight, can hardly be expected to interest the sensations of the people. The inference is, that the authority of the Union, and the affections of the citizens towards it, will be strengthened rather than weakened by its extension to what are called matters of internal concern.”

Source: America's Founding Documents: The Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, the United States Constitution, the Federalist Papers, and the Bill of Rights

“Common interest may always be reckoned upon as the surest bond of sympathy.”

May Interest Common Human Nature Common Interests

Book:The Federalist on the New Constitution, Written in the Year 1788, with an Appendix Containing the Letters of Pacificus and Helvidius on the Proclamation of Neutrality of 1793

Source: The Federalist on the New Constitution, Written in the Year 1788, with an Appendix Containing the Letters of Pacificus and Helvidius on the Proclamation of Neutrality of 1793

“With regard to the learned professions, little need be observed; they truly form no distinct interest in society . . . [discussing the landed, merchant, and learned classes in legislative assembly]. Will not the man of the learned profession, who will feel a neutrality to the rivalships between the different branches of industry, be likely to prove an impartial arbiter between them, ready to promote either, so far as it shall appear to him conducive to the general interests of society?”

Men Needs Feels Littles Different Form Interest Class Human Nature He Man Ready Industry Prove Regard Profession Branches Assembly Discussing Merchants Neutrality Arbiter

Author:Alexander Hamilton

“When you assemble from your several counties in the Legislature, were every member to be guided only by the apparent interest of his county, government would be impracticable. There must be a perpetual accomodation and sacrifice of local advantage to general expediency.”

Government Would Be Interest Sacrifice Members Advantage Locals Perpetual County Legislature Expediency Federalism

Book:Alexander Hamilton: selections representing his life, his thought, and his style

Source: Alexander Hamilton: selections representing his life, his thought, and his style

“The local interest of a State ought in every case to give way to the interests of the Union. For when a sacrifice of one or the other is necessary, the former becomes only an apparent, partial interest, and should yield, on the principle that the smaller good ought never to oppose the greater good.”

Way Giving Should States Interest Principles Cases Greater Sacrifice Ought Unions Locals Former Yield Greater Good Federalism

Book:The works of Alexander Hamilton: comprising his correspondence, and his political and official writings, exclusive of the Federalist, civil and military. Published from the original manuscripts deposited in the Department of State, by order of the Joint Library Committee of Congress

Source: The works of Alexander Hamilton: comprising his correspondence, and his political and official writings, exclusive of the Federalist, civil and military. Published from the original manuscripts deposited in the Department of State, by order of the Joint Library Committee of Congress

“To attach full confidence to an institution of this nature, it appears to be an essential ingredient in its structure, that it shall be under private and not a public direction-under the guidance of individual interest, not of public policy; which, would be . . . liable to being too much influenced by public necessity.”

Would Be Individual Interest Too Much Policy Essentials Institutions Structure Guidance Ingredients Liable Public Policy Federalism

Book:The Vision of Hamilton: Hamilton's 4 Reports and LaRouche's 4 Laws

Source: The Vision of Hamilton: Hamilton's 4 Reports and LaRouche's 4 Laws

“The variety of more minute interests, which will necessarily fall under the superintendence of the local administrations . . . cannot be particularized without involving a detail too tedious and uninteresting to compensate for the instruction it might afford.”

Might Fall Interest Minutes Details Locals Administration Variety Instruction Involving Tedious Federalism

Book:The Federalist, on the New Constitution, Written in the Year 1788

Source: The Federalist, on the New Constitution, Written in the Year 1788

“It is of the greatest consequence that the debt should, with the consent of the creditors, be remoulded into such a shape as will bring the expenditure of the nation to a level with its income. Till this shall be accomplished, the finances of the United States will never wear a proper countenance. Arrears of interest, continually accruing, will be as continual a monument, either of inability, or of ill faith and will not cease to have an evil influence on public credit.”

“The natural effect of low interest is to increase trade and industry; because undertakings of every kind can be prosecuted with greater advantage.”

Kind Interest Natural Greater Effects Industry Lows Advantage Increase Trade Commerce Undertakings E Commerce

Book:Reports of the secretary of the Treasury of the United States

Source: Reports of the secretary of the Treasury of the United States

“The tendency of a national bank is to increase public and private credit. The former gives power to the state, for the protection of its rights and interests: and the latter facilitates and extends the operations of commerce among individuals. Industry is increased, commodities are multiplied, agriculture and manufacturers flourish: and herein consists the true wealth and prosperity of a state.”

Source: The works of Alexander Hamilton: comprising his correspondence, and his political and official writings, exclusive of the federalist, civil and military

“There are still to be found visionary or designing men, who stand ready to advocate the paradox of perpetual peace between the states, though dismembered and alienated from each other.... The genius of republics, say they, is pacific; the spirit of commerce has a tendency to soften the manners of men, and to extinguish those inflammable humours which have so often kindled into wars. Commercial republics, like ours, will never be disposed to waste themselves in ruinous contentions with each other. They will be governed by mutual interest, and will cultivate a spirit of mutual amity and concord.”

Men Stills War States Spirit Found Interest Design Humour Ready Genius Waste Tendencies Manners Mutual Paradox Republic Perpetual Commerce Pacific Contention Amity Mutual Interest

Author:Alexander Hamilton

“A government, the constitution of which renders it unfit to be trusted with all the powers which a free people ought to delegate to any government, would be an unsafe and improper depositary of the NATIONAL INTERESTS.”

People Government Would Be Interest Ought Constitution Trusted Delegates Unsafe National Interests

Book:The federalist papers

Source: The federalist papers

“By a steady adherence to the Union we may hope, erelong, to become the arbiter of Europe in America, and to be able to incline the balance of European competitions in this part of the world as our interest may dictate.”

World May Able America Interest Policy Balance Europe Competition Unions Steady Foreign Policy Incline Adherence Arbiter

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

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

“The reasonableness of the agency of the national courts in cases in which the state tribunals cannot be supposed to be impartial, speaks for itself. No man ought certainly to be a judge in his own cause, or in any cause in respect to which he has the least interest or bias.”

Men States Speak Causes Interest Cases Judging Ought Court Supposed To Be Agency Bias Judiciary Tribunals Reasonableness

Book:The Federalist

Source: The Federalist

“There was a time when we were told . . . that a sense of common interest would preside over the conduct of the respective members...This language at the present day would appear as wild as that great part of what we now hear from the same quarter will be thought, when we shall have received further lessons from that best oracle of wisdom, experience.”

Language Interest Common Opinion Lessons Members Quarters Public Opinion Present Day Oracles Common Interests Wisdom Experience

Author:Alexander Hamilton

“The only constitutional exception to the power of making treaties is, that it shall not change the Constitution.… On natural principles, a treaty, which should manifestly betray or sacrifice primary interests of the state, would be null.”

Should States Would Be Interest Natural Principles Sacrifice Constitution Primaries Exception Betray Treaties Null

Author:Alexander Hamilton

“Now, mark my words. So long as we are a young and virtuous people, this instument will bind us together in mutual interests, mutual welfare, and mutual happiness. But when we become old and corrupt, it will bind no longer.”

People Long Together Young Interest Mark Welfare Mutual Virtuous Mutual Interest

Author:Alexander Hamilton

“Upon this law, depend the natural rights of mankind, the supreme being gave existence to man, together with the means of preserving and beatifying that existence. He endowed him with rational faculties, by the help of which, to discern and pursue such things, as were consistent with his duty and interest, and invested him with an inviolable right to personal liberty, and personal safety.”

Source: The Official and Other Papers of the Late Major-General Alexander Hamilton: Comp. Chiefly from the Originals in the Possession of Mrs. Hamilton ...

“When occasions present themselves, in which the interests of the people are at variance with their inclinations, it is the duty of the persons whom they have appointed to be the guardians of those interests, to withstand the temporary delusion, in order to give them time and opportunity for more cool and sedate reflection.”

People Giving Persons Order Opportunity Interest Duty Reflection Occasions Delusion Temporary Inclination Guardian Federalist Federalist Papers Variance

Book:The Federalist: With Letters of Brutus

Source: The Federalist: With Letters of Brutus

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