Quotessence
Home / Books / Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States: With a Preliminary Review of the Constitutional History of the Colonies and States, Before the Adoption of the Constitution

Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States: With a Preliminary Review of the Constitutional History of the Colonies and States, Before the Adoption of the Constitution

Book by Joseph Story · 19 quotes · States, Government, Constitution

Filter quotes by topic

AllStatesGovernmentConstitutionLibertyWellsUnitedUnited StatesCitizensDutyFederalismFounding Fathers GunFounding Fathers Second AmendmentHumansMenProprietyResponsibilitySolemn2 AmendmentAmending The ConstitutionAmendment 1

Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States: With a Preliminary Review of the Constitutional History of the Colonies and States, Before the Adoption of the Constitution Quotes

“A government, forever changing and changeable, is, indeed, in a state bordering upon anarchy and confusion.”

StatesGovernmentForeverConfusionAnarchy
Book:Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States: With a Preliminary Review of the Constitutional History of the Colonies and States, Before the Adoption of the Constitution
Create image

“The right of the citizens to keep and bear arms has justly been considered as the palladium of the liberties of a republic.”

LibertyArmsBearsCitizensGunRepublicAmendmentsSecond AmendmentFirearmsRight To Bear ArmsMilitiaBearing ArmsGun RightsFederalistFounding Fathers Gun2 AmendmentFounding Fathers Second AmendmentAnti GunAmendment 1UsurpationAmending The ConstitutionAmendment 19Amendment 4Amendment 13
Book:Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States: With a Preliminary Review of the Constitutional History of the Colonies and States, Before the Adoption of the Constitution
Create image

“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”

PeopleStatesGovernmentUnitedUnited StatesConstitutionFederal GovernmentReservedFreedom LibertyProperty RightsLimited GovernmentBill Of RightsFederal ReserveJudiciaryAmerican GovernmentLimiting GovernmentConstitution Of The United StatesFounding Fathers GunConstitutional RightsSeparation Of PowersUs ConstitutionFounding Fathers Second AmendmentFederalismSecessionGeneral WelfareConstitutional GovernmentStates RightsTyranny Founding FathersAmending The ConstitutionPower GovernmentPolice PowerNullification
Book:Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States: With a Preliminary Review of the Constitutional History of the Colonies and States, Before the Adoption of the Constitution
Create image

“It yet remains a problem to be solved in human affairs, whether any free government can be permanent, where the public worship of God, and the support of religion, constitute no part of the policy or duty of the state in any assignable shape. The future experience of Christendom, and chiefly of the American states, must settle this problem, as yet new in the history of the world, abundant, as it has been, in experiments in the theory of government.”

WorldHumansHas BeensStatesProblemGovernmentReligiousLibertySupportPolicyDutyTheoryShapesWorshipRemainsAffairExperimentsPermanentSettlingWorld HistoryFounding Fathers ReligiousFree GovernmentChristendom
Book:Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States: With a Preliminary Review of the Constitutional History of the Colonies and States, Before the Adoption of the Constitution
Create image

“Constitutions are not designed for metaphysical or logical subtleties, for niceties of expression, for critical propriety, for elaborate shades of meaning, or for the exercise of philosophical acuteness or judicial research. They are instruments of a practical nature, founded on the common business of human life, adapted to common wants, designed for common use, and fitted for common understandings.”

WantHumansUseUnderstandingCommonExpressionExerciseResearchConstitutionPhilosophicalInstrumentsCriticalPracticalsHuman LifeLogicalShadeMetaphysicalAdaptedJudicialSubtletyProprietyNiceties
Book:Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States: With a Preliminary Review of the Constitutional History of the Colonies and States, Before the Adoption of the Constitution
Create image

“The state governments have a full superintendence and control over the immense mass of local interests of their respective states, which connect themselves with the feelings, the affections, the municipal institutions, and the internal arrangements of the whole population. They possess, too, the immediate administration of justice in all cases, civil and criminal, which concern the property, personal rights, and peaceful pursuits of their own citizens.”

StatesWholeFeelingsGovernmentInterestJusticeCasesRightsCitizensMassConcernInstitutionsPropertyPopulationAffectionCriminalsPursuitLocalsPeacefulAdministrationInternalsImmenseArrangementsState GovernmentFederalismPersonal RightsAdministration Of Justice
Book:Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States: With a Preliminary Review of the Constitutional History of the Colonies and States, Before the Adoption of the Constitution
Create image

“The true test is, whether the object be of a local character, and local use; or, whether it be of general benefit to the states. If it be purely local, congress cannot constitutionally appropriate money for the object. But, if the benefit be general, it matters not, whether in point of locality it be in one state, or several; whether it be of large, or of small extent.”

IfsMatterStatesCharacterUseObjectsBenefitsTestsCongressLocalsAppropriateFederalismLocality
Book:Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States: With a Preliminary Review of the Constitutional History of the Colonies and States, Before the Adoption of the Constitution
Create image

“The promulgation of the great doctrines of religion, the being, and attributes, and providence of one Almighty God: the responsibility to him for all our actions, founded upon moral freedom and accountability; a future state of rewards and punishments; the cultivation of all the personal, social, and benevolent virtues-these these never can be a matter of indifference in any well-ordered community. It is, indeed, difficult to conceive how any civilized society can exist without them.”

WellsMatterStatesActionSocialDifficultCommunityResponsibilityMoralVirtueRewardsPunishmentDoctrineIndifferenceAccountabilityCivilizedAttributesProvidenceAlmightyOur ActionsBenevolentCultivationAlmighty GodCivilized SocietyReward And PunishmentMoral Freedom
Book:Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States: With a Preliminary Review of the Constitutional History of the Colonies and States, Before the Adoption of the Constitution
Create image

“Men, to act with vigour and effect, must have time to mature measures, and judgment and experience, as to the best method of applying them. They must not be hurried on to their conclusions by the passions, or the fears of the multitude. They must deliberate, as well as resolve.”

MenWellsGovernmentPassionEffectsJudgmentMethodConclusionResolveMatureMultitudesDeliberate
Book:Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States: With a Preliminary Review of the Constitutional History of the Colonies and States, Before the Adoption of the Constitution
Create image

“How much more do they deserve our reverence and praise, whose lives are devoted to the formation of institutions, which, when they and their children are mingled in the common dust, may continue to cherish the principles and the practice of liberty in perpetual freshness and vigour.”

MayChildrenGovernmentCommonLibertyPrinciplesPracticeDeservePraiseInstitutionsDustCherishReverencePerpetualDevotedFormationFreshness
Book:Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States: With a Preliminary Review of the Constitutional History of the Colonies and States, Before the Adoption of the Constitution
Create image

“It is important also to consider, that the surest means of avoiding war is to be prepared for it in peace.”

MeanImportantWarPreparedBe PreparedAvoidingNational Defense
Book:Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States: With a Preliminary Review of the Constitutional History of the Colonies and States, Before the Adoption of the Constitution
Create image

“The constitution of the United States is to receive a reasonable interpretation of its language, and its powers, keeping in view the objects and purposes, for which those powers were conferred. By a reasonable interpretation, we mean, that in case the words are susceptible of two different senses, the one strict, the other more enlarged, that should be adopted, which is most consonant with the apparent objects and intent of the Constitution.”

ShouldMeanTwoDifferentStatesPurposeLanguageUnitedViewsCasesUnited StatesObjectsConstitutionSensesReasonableInterpretationStrictAdoptedSusceptibleConstitution Of The United StatesConsonants
Book:Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States: With a Preliminary Review of the Constitutional History of the Colonies and States, Before the Adoption of the Constitution
Create image

“The truth is, that, even with the most secure tenure of office, during good behavior, the danger is not, that the judges will be too firm in resisting public opinion, and in defence of private rights or public liberties; but, that they will be ready to yield themselves to the passions, and politics, and prejudices of the day.”

PassionLibertyOpinionRightsDangerReadyJudgingTruth IsOfficeBehaviorPrejudiceSecureFirmYieldPublic OpinionDefenceResistingJudiciaryTenureGood Behavior
Book:Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States: With a Preliminary Review of the Constitutional History of the Colonies and States, Before the Adoption of the Constitution
Create image

“And it is no less true, that personal security and private property rest entirely upon the wisdom, the stability, and the integrity of the courts of justice.”

JusticeSecurityIntegrityCourtPropertyStabilityPrivate PropertyPersonal Security
Book:Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States: With a Preliminary Review of the Constitutional History of the Colonies and States, Before the Adoption of the Constitution
Create image

“The militia is the natural defense of a free country against sudden foreign invasions, domestic insurrections, and domestic usurpation of power by rulers. The right of the citizens to keep and bear arms has justly been considered, as the palladium of the liberties of the republic; since it offers a strong moral check against the usurpation and arbitrary power of rulers; and will generally ... enable the people to resist and triumph over them.”

PeopleCountryStrongNaturalLibertyMoralArmsBearsCitizensOffersDefenseChecksTriumphRepublicAmendmentsRulersArbitraryInvasionSecond AmendmentRight To Bear ArmsMilitiaBearing ArmsFounding Fathers Gun2 AmendmentFree CountryInsurrectionFounding Fathers Second AmendmentAmendment 1Usurpation
Book:Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States: With a Preliminary Review of the Constitutional History of the Colonies and States, Before the Adoption of the Constitution
Create image

“It was under a solemn consciousness of the dangers from ecclesiastical ambition, the bigotry of spiritual pride, and the intolerance of sects... that is was deemed advisable to exclude from the national government all power to act upon the subject.”

GovernmentSpiritualConsciousnessSubjectsDangerPrideAmbitionRacistBigotryIntoleranceSolemnSectsAdvisableSpiritual Pride
Book:Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States: With a Preliminary Review of the Constitutional History of the Colonies and States, Before the Adoption of the Constitution
Create image

“No man can well doubt the propriety of placing a president of the United States under the most solemn obligations to preserve, protect, and defend the constitution. It is a suitable pledge of his fidelity and responsibility to his country; and creates upon his conscience a deep sense of duty, by an appeal, at once in the presence of God and man, to the most sacred and solemn sanctions which can operate upon the human mind.”

MenMindHumansWellsCountryStatesPresidentUnitedResponsibilityUnited StatesDoubtDutyProtectConscienceConstitutionSacredObligationAppealsPreservesHuman MindSolemnPledgeFidelitySanctionsSuitablePresence Of GodPropriety
Book:Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States: With a Preliminary Review of the Constitutional History of the Colonies and States, Before the Adoption of the Constitution
Create image

“No man can well doubt the propriety of placing a president of the United States under the most solemn obligations to preserve, protect, and defend the constitution.”

MenWellsStatesPresidentUnitedUnited StatesDoubtProtectConstitutionObligationPreservesSolemnPropriety
Book:Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States: With a Preliminary Review of the Constitutional History of the Colonies and States, Before the Adoption of the Constitution
Create image

“To secure integrity there must a lofty sense of duty and a deep responsibility to future times as well as to God.”

WellsResponsibilityVirtueDutyIntegritySecurePietyLoftyFuture Time
Book:Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States: With a Preliminary Review of the Constitutional History of the Colonies and States, Before the Adoption of the Constitution
Create image