james-madison Quotes About ought

“May it not be asked of every intelligent friend to the liberties of his country, whether the power exercised in such an act as this ought not to produce great and universal alarm? Whether a rigid execution of such an act, in time past, would not have repressed that information and communication among the people which is indispensable to the just exercise of their electoral rights? And whether such an act, if made perpetual, and enforced with rigor, would not, in time to come, either destroy our free system of government, or prepare a convulsion that might prove equally fatal to it?”

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

“There is an evil which ought to be guarded against in the indefinite accumulation of property from the capacity of holding it in perpetuity by...corporations. The power of all corporations ought to be limited in this respect. The growing wealth acquired by them never fails to be a source of abuses.”

Evil Wealth Growing Failing Source Ought Capacity Abuse Property Corporations Accumulation Guarded

Author:James Madison

“Although all men are born free, slavery has been the general lot of the human race. Ignorant--they have been cheated; asleep--they have been surprised; divided--the yoke has been forced upon them. But what is the lesson...? The people ought to be enlightened, to be awakened, to be united, that after establishing a government they should watch over it.... It is universally admitted that a well-instructed people alone can be permanently free.”

People Men Should Humans Wells Has Beens Government Born United Race Watches Ought Lessons Slavery Ignorant Human Race Enlightened Over It Divided Awakened Cheated Yoke Born Free

Author:James Madison

“Having outlived so many of my contemporaries, I ought not to forget that I may be thought to have outlived myself.”

May Forget Ought

Book:The Republic of Letters: 1776-1790

Source: The Republic of Letters: 1776-1790

“Waiving the rights of conscience, not included in the surrender implied by the social state, & more or less invaded by all Religious establishments, the simple question to be decided, is whether a support of the best & purest religion, the Christian religion itself ought not, so far at least as pecuniary means are involved, to be provided for by the Government, rather than be left to the voluntary provisions of those who profess it.”

Mean States Government Christian Left Social Religious Simple Support Rights Ought Involved Conscience Decided Surrender Establishment Provision Implied

Author:James Madison

“The truth was that all men having power ought to be distrusted to a certain degree.”

“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.”

Ifs Reason Liberty Ought Citizens Majority Patriotic Criteria Suffrage Philosophic

Author:James Madison

“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.”

People Mind Light Education Liberty Security Dangerous Objects Ought Institutions Freedom And Liberty Freedom Liberty Schools And Education Encroachment Crafty

Book:James Madison's

Source: James Madison's

“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.”

Source: The forging of American federalism: selected writings of James Madison

“The aim of every political Constitution, is or ought to be first to obtain for rulers men who possess most wisdom to discern, and most virtue to pursue, the common good of society; and in the next place, to take the most effectual precautions for keeping them virtuous whilst they continue to hold their public trust.”

Men Firsts Political Next Politics Common Liberty Virtue Trust Ought Constitution Aim Pursue Virtuous Rulers Common Good Precaution Public Trust

Book:The Federalist: With Letters of Brutus

Source: The Federalist: With Letters of Brutus

“The liberal appropriations made by the legislature of Kentucky for a general system of education cannot be too much applauded . . . . Learned institutions ought to be the 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 . . . . 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?”

People Mind Made Light Education Liberty Support Too Much Security Dangerous Objects Ought Institutions Mutual Legislature Kentucky Appropriation Encroachment Crafty

Author:James Madison

“The rich man, when contributing to a permanent plan for the education of the poor, ought to reflect that he is providing for that of his own descendants; and the poor man who concurs in a provision for those who are not poor that at no distant day it may be enjoyed by descendants from himself. It does not require a long life to witness these vicissitudes of fortune.”

Source: The forging of American federalism: selected writings of James Madison

“The infant periods of most nations are buried in silence or veiled in fable; and the world perhaps has lost but little which it needs regret. The origin and outset of the American Republic contain lessons of which posterity ought not to be deprived: and happily there never was a case in which every interesting incident could be so accurately preserved.”

World Needs Littles Lost Nations Interesting Education Silence Cases Regret Ought Periods Lessons Republic Buried Infant Very Interesting Deprived Posterity Incidents Fables

Book:James Madison's

Source: James Madison's

“[A]ll power is originally vested in, and consequently derived from, the people. That government is instituted and ought to be exercised for the benefit of the people; which consists in the enjoyment of life and liberty and the right of acquiring property, and generally of pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety. That the people have an indubitable, unalienable, and indefeasible right to reform or change their government whenever it be found adverse or inadequate to the purpose of its institution.”

People Government Purpose Found Liberty Ought Benefits Safety Institutions Property Reform Enjoyment Nationalism Inadequate Adverse Obtaining

Book:Writings

Source: Writings

“Every man who loves peace, every man who loves his country, every man who loves liberty ought to have it ever before his eyes that he may cherish in his heart a due attachment to the Union of America and be able to set a due value on the means of preserving it.”

Men Heart May Mean Country Eye Able America Values Liberty Ought Unions Dues Every Man His Eyes Attachment Cherish

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

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

“The public affairs of the union are spread throughout a very extensive region, and are extremely diversified by the local affairs connected with them, and can with difficulty be learnt in any other place, than in the central councils, to which a knowledge of them will be brought by the representatives of every part of the empire. Yet some knowledge of the affairs, and even of the laws of all the states, ought to be possessed by the members from each of the states.”

States Law Ought Members Difficulty Unions Affair Spread Connected Locals Empires Regions Possessed Representatives Council Federalism Public Affairs

Book:Selected Federalist Papers

Source: Selected Federalist Papers

“There is not a more important and fundamental principle in legislation, than that the ways and means ought always to face the public engagements; that our appropriations should ever go hand in hand with our promises. To say that the United States should be answerable for twenty-five millions of dollars without knowing whether the ways and means can be provided, and without knowing whether those who are to succeed us will think with us on the subject, would be rash and unjustifiable. Sir, in my opinion, it would be hazarding the public faith in a manner contrary to every idea of prudence.”

“There is one view of the subject which ought to have its influence on those who espouse doctrines which strike at the authoritative origin and efficacious operation of the Government of the United States. The Government of the U.S. like all Governments free in their principles, rests on compact; a compact, not between the Government & the parties who formed & live under it; but among the parties themselves, and the strongest of Governments are those in which the compacts were most fairly formed and most faithfully executed.”

States Government United Views Party Principles United States Influence Subjects Ought Strikes Doctrine Operations Strongest Compact

Author:James Madison

“It may be considered as an objection inherent in the principle, that as every appeal to the people would carry an implication of some defect in the government, frequent appeals would in great measure deprive the government of that veneration which time bestows on every thing, and without which perhaps the wisest and freest governments would not possess the requisite stability . . . a constitutional road to the decision of the people ought to be marked out and kept open, for certain great and extraordinary occasions”

People May Government Certain Decision Principles Ought Extraordinary Occasions Appeals Stability Inherent Defects Implications Wisest Objections Veneration

Author:James Madison

“[I]t is the reason alone, of the public, that ought to control and regulate the government.”

Reason Government Ought

Book:The federalist papers

Source: The federalist papers

“Frequent elections are unquestionably the only policy by which this dependence and sympathy can be effectually secured. But what particular degree of frequency may be absolutely necessary for the purpose, does not appear to be susceptible of any precise calculation; and must depend on a variety of circumstances with which it may be connected. Let us consult experience, the guide that ought always to be followed, whenever it can be found.”

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

“In civilized communities, property as well as personal rights is an essential object of the laws, which encourage industry by securing the enjoyment of its fruits; that industry from which property results, and that enjoyment which consists not merely in its immediate use, but in its posthumous destination to objects of choice, and of kindred affection. In a just and free government, therefore, the rights both of property and of persons ought to be effectually guarded.”

“The passions, therefore, not the reason, of the public would sit in judgment. But it is the reason, alone, of the public, that ought to control and regulate the government. The passions ought to be controlled and regulated by the government.”

People Reason Government Passion Ought Judgment Controlled

Book:The Federalist: A Commentary on the Constitution of the United States

Source: The Federalist: A Commentary on the Constitution of the United States

“[Regarding legislative assemblies,] the number ought at most to be kept within a certain limit, in order to avoid the confusion and intemperance of a multitude. In all very numerous assemblies, of whatever characters composed, passion never fails to wrest the scepter from reason. Had every Athenian citizen been a Socrates, every Athenian assembly would still have been a mob.”

Source: The Federalist: A Commentary on the Constitution of the United States

“You give me a credit to which I have no claim in calling me "the writer of the Constitution of the United States." This was not, like the fabled Goddess of Wisdom, the offspring of a single brain. It ought to be regarded as the work of many heads and many hands.”

Giving States Hands United Brain United States Ought Calling Constitution Claims Give Me Credit Goddess Offspring Total War Constitution Of The United States Constitutional Convention Many Hands

Book:1829-1836

Source: 1829-1836

“there ought always to be a constitutional method of giving efficacy to constitutional provisions. What for instance would avail restrictions on the authority of the state legislatures, without some constitutional mode of enforcing the observance of them? . . . This power must either be a direct negative on the state laws, or an authority in the federal courts, to over-rule such as might be in manifest contravention of the articles of union.”

Source: The Federalist: A Commentary on the Constitution of the United States

“I regret, as much as any member, the unavoidable weight and duration of the burdens to be imposed; having never been a proselyte to the doctrine, that public debts are public benefits. I consider them, on the contrary, as evils which ought to be removed as fast as honor and justice will permit.”

Government Evil Justice Regret Ought Honor Members Benefits Weight Burden Debt Spending Contrary Doctrine Permit I Regret Duration Government Spending

Book:The Writings of James Madison: 1787-1790

Source: The Writings of James Madison: 1787-1790

“The danger of silent accumulations & encroachments by Ecclesiastical Bodies have not sufficiently engaged attention in the U.S. [...] Besides the danger of a direct mixture of Religion & civil Government, there is an evil which ought to be guarded against in the indefinite accumulation of property from the capacity of holding it in perpetuity by ecclesiastical Corporations. [...] The establishment of the chaplainship to Congs. is a palpable violation of equal rights, as well as of Constitutional principles.”

“In all great changes of established governments, forms ought to give way to substance”

Way Giving Government Form Ought Substance Great Change

Book:The Federalist Papers: The Making of the US Constitution

Source: The Federalist Papers: The Making of the US Constitution

“Among the features peculiar to the political system of the United States is the perfect equality of rights which it secures to every religious sect. [...] Equal laws protecting equal rights, are found as they ought to be presumed, the best guarantee of loyalty, and love of country; as well as best calculated to cherish that mutual respect and good will among citizens of every religious denomination which are necessary to social harmony and most favorable to the advancement of truth.”

“There is not a more important and fundamental principle in legislation, than that the ways and means ought always to face the public engagements; that our appropriations should ever go hand in hand with our promises.”

Way Should Mean Important Hands Faces Principles Ought Promise Fundamentals Engagement Legislation Hand In Hand Fundamental Principles Appropriation

Book:James Madison's

Source: James Madison's

“In proportion to the value of this revolution; in proportion to the importance of instruments, every word of which decides a question between power and liberty; in proportion to the solemnity of acts, proclaiming the will authenticated by the seal of the people, the only earthly source of authority, ought to be the vigilance with which they are guarded by every citizen in private life, and the circumspection with which they are executed by every citizen in public trust.”

People Values Liberty Source Revolution Ought Citizens Authority Importance Instruments Proportion Private Life Seals Guarded Vigilance Proclaiming Solemnity Public Trust Circumspection

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

“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

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