Home / Quotes / Quote by Thomas Jefferson

Quote by Thomas Jefferson

“On every unauthoritative exercise of power by the legislature must the people rise in rebellion or their silence be construed into a surrender of that power to them? If so, how many rebellions should we have had already?”

Quote by Thomas Jefferson

Book:The writings of Thomas Jefferson

Work

The writings of Thomas Jefferson

This extensive compilation includes Jefferson's correspondence, his influential essays on topics such as democracy and individual rights, and his personal reflections on the founding of the United States. The writings provide insight into Jefferson's role in shaping American history and his contributions to the nation's political discourse. more

Author

Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson was the third President of the United States, a distinguished politician, philosopher, architect, and scientist. He was born on April 13, 1743, and died on July 4, 1826. Jefferson advocated for democracy and freedom in politics and was one of the main authors of the Declaration of Independence. His political ideas had a profound impact on the founding and development of the United States. more

You May Also Like

“A local spirit will infallibly prevail much more in the members of Congress than a national spirit will prevail in the legislatures of the particular States.”

States Spirit Particular Members Congress Locals Legislature Federalist Federalist Papers

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

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

“For the same reason that the members of the State legislatures will be unlikely to attach themselves sufficiently to national objects, the members of the federal legislature will be likely to attach themselves too much to local objects.”

States Reason Too Much Objects Members Congress Locals Unlikely Legislature State Legislatures

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

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

“But they have two other Rights; those of sitting when they please, and as long as they please, in which methinks they have the advantage of your Parliament; for they cannot be dissolved by the Breath of a Minister, or sent packing as you were the other day, when it was your earnest desire to have remained longer together.”

Long Two Together Desire Rights Please Sitting Advantage Breaths Congress Ministers Earnest Parliament Legislature Packing

Book:Memoirs of the life and writings of Benjamin Franklin ...

Source: Memoirs of the life and writings of Benjamin Franklin ...

“[I]t is more convenient to prevent the passage of a law, than to declare it void after it has passed.”

Law Congress Passages Void Convenient Legislature

Book:The Writings of James Madison: 1787-1790

Source: The Writings of James Madison: 1787-1790

“Botox, I think, is poison, I would never put it into my face, and I'm needle-phobic. I spend a lot of time keeping my face out of the sun and taking care of my skin and wearing make-up.”

Thinking Care Faces Sun Skins Poison Needles Botox Time Keeping

Author:Joan Collins

“The people can never willfully betray their own interests: But they may possibly be betrayed by the representatives of the people; and the danger will be evidently greater where the whole legislative trust is lodged in the hands of one body of men, than where the concurrence of separate and dissimilar bodies is required in every public act.”

People Men May Whole Body Hands Interest Greater Danger Congress Betray Representatives Betrayed Legislature Concurrence

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

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

“I have appealed to our own experience for the truth of what I advance on this subject [that the legislative power is the predominant power]. Were it necessary to verify this experience by particular proofs, they might be multiplied without end. I might find a witness in every citizen who has shared in, or been attentive to, the course of public administrations.”

Ends Might Courses Subjects Particular Citizens Congress Proof Witness Administration Legislature Verify

Author:James Madison

“The regulation of these various and interfering interests forms the principal task of modern legislation and involves the spirit of party and faction in the necessary and ordinary operations of government.”

Government Form Spirit Interest Party Modern Ordinary Tasks Congress Various Operations Regulation Principal Interfere Legislation Legislature Factions

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

“The representatives of the people, in a popular assembly, seem sometimes to fancy that they are the people themselves, and betray strong symptoms of impatience and disgust at the least sign of opposition from any other quarter; as if the exercise of its rights, by either the executive or judiciary, were a breach of their privilege and an outrage to their dignity.”

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

“If it be said that the legislative body are themselves the constitutional judges of their own powers, and that the construction they put upon them is conclusive upon the other departments, it may be answered, that this cannot be the natural presumption, where it is not be collected from any particular provisions in the Constitution.”

Ifs May Said Body Natural Particular Judging Constitution Congress Department Construction Provision Legislature Presumption

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

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