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James Madison

James Madison Quotes

4th U.S. President

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Famous James Madison Quotes

“The number, the industry, and the morality of the priesthood, and the devotion of the people have been manifestly increased by the total separation of the church from the state.”

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Book:The Writings of James Madison: 1808-1819
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“In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.”

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Author:James Madison
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“What is government itself but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary.”

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Author:James Madison
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“The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite. The former will be exercised principally on external objects, as war, peace, negotiation and foreign commerce. ... The powers reserved to the several States will extend to all the objects which in the ordinary course of affairs, concern the lives and liberties, and properties of the people, and the internal order, improvement and prosperity of the State.”

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Author:James Madison
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“A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”

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Book:The Debates in the Federal Convention of 1787: Which Framed the Constitution of the United States of America
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“If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself. A dependence on the people is, no doubt, the primary control on the government; but experience has taught mankind the necessity of auxiliary precautions.”

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Book:The Origin of the Nation: Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights and Other Amendments, Federalist Papers & Common Sense: Creating America - Landmark Documents that Shaped a New Nation
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“I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents.”

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Author:James Madison
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“The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, selfappointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.”

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Author:James Madison
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“The means of defence against foreign danger have been always the instruments of tyranny at home. Among the Romans it was a standing maxim to excite a war, whenever a revolt was apprehended. Throughout all Europe, the armies kept up under the pretext of defending, have enslaved the people.”

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Book:The Writings of James Madison: 1787. The journal of the Constitutional convention
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“History records that the money changers have used every form of abuse, intrigue, deceit, and violent means possible to maintain their control over governments by controlling money and it's issuance.”

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Author:James Madison
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“Charity is no part of the legislative duty of the government.”

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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
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“Religious bondage shackles and debilitates the mind and unfits it for every noble enterprise.... During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What have been its fruits? More or less, in all places, pride and indolence in the clergy; ignorance and servility in laity; in both, superstition, bigotry, and persecution.”

MindHas BeensReligionReligiousChristianityAtheismCenturyIgnorancePrideConstitutionFruitAtheistNobleTrialsEnterpriseBigotryEstablishmentSuperstitionsFifteenSecularPersecutionFoundingBondageChurch And StateSeparation Of Church And StateOur Founding FathersFounding Fathers ChristianPhilosophy Of ReligionUs Founding FathersClergyIndolenceFounding Fathers ReligionSeparation Between Church And StateShacklesFounding Fathers ReligiousReligion GodFederalistFounding Fathers Anti ReligionFounding Fathers Of AmericaFounding AmericaFederalist PapersAmerican Founding FathersFounding Fathers AtheistReligious PhilosophyDeismChristianity From Founding FathersReligion And PoliticsChristian AtheistReligion ChristianPhilosophy And ReligionReligion And GovernmentFaith ReligionServilityReligious PersecutionReligious BigotryChristianity And GovernmentChristian Persecution
Author:James Madison
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“Democracies have been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their death.”

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Book:The Federalist, on the New Constitution, Written in the Year 1788
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“Stability in government is essential to national character and to the advantages annexed to it, as well as to that repose and confidence in the minds of the people, which are among the chief blessings of civil society.”

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Book:The Essential Federalist: A New Reading of the Federalist Papers
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“The interest of the man must be connected with the constitutional rights of the place. It may be a reflection on human nature, that such devices should be necessary to control the abuses of Government. But what is Government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature?”

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Book:The Federalist, on the New Constitution, Written in the Year 1788
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“Happily for America, happily, we trust, for the whole human race, they pursued a new and more noble course. They accomplished a revolution which has no parallel in the annals of human society.”

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Book:The Federalist, on the New Constitution, Written in the Year 1788
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“If Congress can do whatever in their discretion can be done by money, and will promote the General Welfare, the Government is no longer a limited one, possessing enumerated powers, but an indefinite one.”

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Book:James Madison's
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“Who does not see that the same authority which can establish Christianity, in exclusion of all other Religions, may establish with the same ease any particular sect of Christians, in exclusion of all other Sects?”

MayDoeStatesChristianReligionChurchChristianityAtheismParticularAuthorityAtheistEaseChurch And StateSeparation Of Church And StateSectsExclusionFounding Fathers ChristianFounding Fathers ReligionSeparation Between Church And StateFounding Fathers Anti ReligionFederalist PapersFounding Fathers AtheistChristianity From Founding Fathers
Author:James Madison
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“If there be a principle that ought not to be questioned within the United States, it is that every man has a right to abolish an old government and establish a new one. This principle is not only recorded in every public archive, written in every American heart, and sealed with the blood of American martyrs, but is the only lawful tenure by which the United States hold their existence as a nation.”

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Book:The forging of American federalism: selected writings of James Madison
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“It is proper to take alarm at the first experiment on our liberties. We hold this prudent jealousy to be the first duty of citizens and one of the noblest characteristics of the late Revolution. The freemen of America did not wait till usurped power had strengthened itself by exercise and entangled the question in precedents. They saw all the consequences in the principle, and they avoided the consequences by denying the principle. We revere this lesson too much ... to forget it”

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Book:Writings
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