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Quote by Oliver Ellsworth

“The powers of congress must be defined, but their means must be adequate to the purposes of their constitution. It is possible there may be abuses and misapplications; still, it is better to hazard something than to hazard at all.”

Author

Oliver Ellsworth

Oliver Ellsworth was a distinguished figure in the early history of the United States, serving as a former United States Senator. Born on April 29, 1745, and passing away on November 26, 1807, Ellsworth was deeply involved in the drafting of the United States Constitution and was among the signers of the Constitution. more

“The members of the legislative department . . . are numerous. They are distributed and dwell among the people at large. Their connections of blood, of friendship, and of acquaintance embrace a great proportion of the most influential part of the society . . . they are more immediately the confidential guardians of their rights and liberties.”

People Liberty Rights Blood Members Connections Embrace Congress Proportion Department Guardian Acquaintance Influential Legislature Confidential

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

“It would reduce the whole instrument to a single phrase, that of instituting a Congress with power to do whatever would be for the good of the United States; and as they would be the sole judges of the good or evil, it would be also a power to do whatever evil they please . . . . Certainly no such universal power was meant to be given them. It [the Constitution] was intended to lace them up straightly within the enumerated powers and those without which, as means, these powers could not be carried into effect.”

“The legislative department is everywhere extending the sphere of its activity and drawing all power into its impetuous vortex.”

Activity Congress Drawing Department Spheres Legislature Extending Federalist Federalist Papers Vortex Impetuous

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

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

“One hundred and seventy-three despots would surely be as oppressive as one.”

Three Hundred Congress Seventies Legislature Despots

Book:The Federalist, on the new constitution, written in 1788, with an appendix, containing the letters of Pacificus and Helvidius on the proclamation of neutrality of 1793, also the original articles of confederation and the constitution of the United States

Source: The Federalist, on the new constitution, written in 1788, with an appendix, containing the letters of Pacificus and Helvidius on the proclamation of neutrality of 1793, also the original articles of confederation and 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.”