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James Madison Quotes

4th U.S. President

James Madison, the 4th President of the United States, was born on March 16, 1751, and died on June 28, 1836. He was a key figure in drafting the U.S. Constitution and had a profound impact on the political system of the United States.

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Famous James Madison Quotes

“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.”

America Religious Liberty Security Arise Sects Multiplicity Religious Liberty

Author:James Madison

“The people shall not be deprived or abridged of their right to speak, or to publish their sentiments; and the freedom of the press, as one of the great bulwarks of liberty, shall be inviolable.”

People Speak President Liberty Presses Sentiments Publish Deprived Freedom Of The Press

Book:Selected Writings of James Madison

Source: Selected Writings of James Madison

“... large and permanent military establishments ... are forbidden by the principles of free government, and against the necessity of which the militia were meant to be a constitutional bulwark.”

Government President Principles Military Permanent Meant To Be Establishment Forbidden Were Meant To Be Militia Free Government

Author:James Madison

“Landholders ought to have a share in the government to support these invaluable interests and check the other many. They ought to be so constituted as to protect the minority of the opulent against the majority.”

Government President Interest Support Share Ought Protect Majority Checks Minorities Invaluable

Book: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

Source: 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

“That is not a just government, nor is property secure under it, where the property which a man has in his personal safety and personal liberty, is violated by arbitrary seizures of one class of citizens for the service of the rest.”

Men Government Liberty Class Citizens Safety Property Secure Arbitrary Seizures Personal Liberty Personal Safety

Book:Letters and Other Writings of James Madison

Source: Letters and Other Writings of James Madison

“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.”

May Reason Feelings Government Desire Found Nations Common Produce Universal Common Sense Imitation Avenues Systems Of Government

Author:James Madison

“The danger of disturbing the public tranquillity by interesting too strongly the public passions, is a still more serious objection against a frequent reference of constitutional questions to the decision of the whole society.”

Stills Whole Passion Decision Interesting Danger Serious Disturbing Objections Tranquillity

Book:The Federalist Papers: A Collection of Essays Written in Favour of the New Constitution

Source: The Federalist Papers: A Collection of Essays Written in Favour of the New Constitution

“In order to judge of the form to be given to this institution the Senate, it will be proper to take a view of the ends to be served by it. These were,first, to protect the people against their rulers, secondly, to protect the people against the transient impressions into which they themselves might be led.”

People Firsts Ends Might Form Order Given Views Judging Protect Institutions Impression Senate Rulers Transient

Book:The Constitutional Convention: A Narrative History from the Notes of James Madison

Source: The Constitutional Convention: A Narrative History from the Notes of James Madison

“I think it absolutely necessary that the President should have the power of removing his subordinates from office; it will make him, in a peculiar manner, responsible for their conduct, and subject him to impeachment himself, if he suffers them to perpetrate with impunity high crimes or misdemeanors against the United States, or neglects to superintend their conduct, so as to check their excesses.”

Source: The Writings of James Madison: 1787-1790

“Those who are to conduct a war cannot in the nature of things, be proper or safe judges, whether a war ought to be commenced, continued, or concluded.”

War Judging Ought Safe

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

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

“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.”

Source: Religious Freedom. A memorial and remonstrance drawn by ... J. Madison, late President of the United States, ... against the general assessment in

“[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.”

States Would Be Enjoy Church Liberty Citizens Species Kingdoms Tendencies Motive Folly Establishment Flourishing Emigration

Book:Selected Writings of James Madison

Source: Selected Writings of James Madison

“Who does not see that . . . the same authority which can force a citizen to contribute three pence only of his property for the support of any one establishment, may force him to conform to any other establishment in all cases whatsoever?”