Best Federalist Quotes | Short & Famous Sayings

“I think that decisions should rest in the hands of the states. I'm a federalist.”

Thinking Should States Hands Decision Federalist

“[In the case of] dangerous exercise of other powers, not granted by the said compact, the states, who are parties thereto, have the right, and are duty bound, to interpose for arresting the progress of the evil.”

Said States Evil Party Cases Progress Dangerous Duty Exercise Bounds Granted Federal Government Compact Federalist Arresting

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

“The American people were, in the beginning, Revolutionaries and Tories. The American people ever since have been Revolutionaries and Tories. They have been Revolutionaries and Tories regardless of the labels of the past and present. Regardless of whether they were Federalists, Democrat-Republicans, Whigs, Know-Nothings, Free Soilers, Unionists or Confederates, Populists, Republicans, Democrats, Socialists, Communists, or Progressives. They have been and are profiteers and patriots. They have been and are conservatives, liberals, and radicals.”

People Knows Has Beens Past Republican Democrat Radical Labels Revolutionary Communist Patriot Past And Present Populist Federalist Confederate

Author:Saul Alinsky

“The best critical consideration of the inherent weakness of a federation of states in which the law of the federation has to be enforced on the states who are its members is contained in the Federalist Papers.”

States Law Members Paper Weakness Critical Consideration Inherent Papers Federalist Federalist Papers Federation

Book:Man, the State, and War: A Theoretical Analysis

Source: Man, the State, and War: A Theoretical Analysis

“A propagandized population has a hard time choosing worthy heroes. It is high time Americans celebrate the Anti-Federalists, for they were correct in predicting the fate of freedom after Philadelphia.”

Hard Fate Hero Population Worthy Celebrate Hard Times Philadelphia Predicting Federalist

Author:Ilana Mercer

“Our country, if you read the 'Federalist Papers,' is about disagreement. It's about pitting faction against faction, divided government, checks and balances. The hero in American political tradition is the man who stands up to the mob - not the mob itself.”

Ifs Men Country Government Political Hero Balance Paper Tradition Checks Our Country Divided Papers Disagreement Factions Federalist Federalist Papers Divided Government

Author:Jonah Goldberg

“I am the happiest person I've ever met. This is what Buddhist Yoga and a healthy dose of reading the Declaration of the Independence, The Constitution and the Federalist Papers and anything else I could get my hands on has given me.”

Persons Hands Reading Given Healthy Mets Paper Yoga Constitution Independence Buddhist Declaration Papers Rama Dose Federalist Federalist Papers

Author:Frederick Lenz

“The most common and durable source of faction has been the various and unequal distribution of property.”

Has Beens Wisdom Politics Common Economy Source Paper Property Various Liberalism Distribution Factions Federalist Federalist Papers

Author:James Madison

“Those who hold and those who are without property have ever formed distinct interests in society.”

Wisdom Politics Interest Economy Property Liberalism Federalist Federalist Papers

Author:James Madison

“Armies, and debts, and taxes are the known instruments for bringing the many under the domination of the few.”

Known Taxes Army Instruments Debt Libertarian Domination Freedom Liberty Federalist Limiting Government Federalist Papers Public Enemies

Book:James Madison's

Source: James Madison's

“What is government itself but the greatest of all reflections on human nature?”

Humans Government Human Nature Reflection Self-government Federalist Federalist Papers Natural Rights Constitutional Rights Separation Of Powers

Author:James Madison

“The Founders understood that democracy was important, but if you didn't filter it through a republican system you'd be just as likely to end up with a tyranny of the majority as you would with a healthy society. Don't worry, I won't quote the Federalist Papers, but trust me, it's in there.”

“Why has government been instituted at all? Because the passions of man will not conform to the dictates of reason and justice without constraint.”

Men Reason Government Passion Justice Conformity Conform Constraints Total War Federalist Federalist Papers Purpose Of Government

Author:Alexander Hamilton

“A national debt, if it is not excessive, will be to us a national blessing.”

Ifs Political Politics Blessing Economics Debt Conceit Conceited Federalist National Debt Debt By Founding Fathers

Author:Alexander Hamilton

“I never expect to see a perfect work from an imperfect man.”

Men Work Perfect Imperfect Federalist Perfect Man Never Expect Perfection And Imperfection Perfect Work Imperfect Man

Book:The Federalist on the New Constitution, Written in the Year 1788, with an Appendix Containing the Letters of Pacificus and Helvidius on the Proclamation of Neutrality of 1793

Source: The Federalist on the New Constitution, Written in the Year 1788, with an Appendix Containing the Letters of Pacificus and Helvidius on the Proclamation of Neutrality of 1793

“In politics, as in religion, it is equally absurd to aim at making proselytes by fire and sword. Heresies in either can rarely be cured by persecution.”

Fire Aim Absurd Persecution Heresy Separation Of Church And State State Government Separation Between Church And State Federalist Federalist Papers

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

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

“Democracy is an experimental system. I like it when states try out new ideas. I think we ought to expand, not contract, our federalist system.”

Thinking Trying Ideas States Democracy Ought Contracts New Ideas Federalist

Author:Alex Tabarrok

“The Federalists also used bribes, intimidation, and fraud against opponents of the Constitution.”

Political Used Constitution Opponents Fraud Intimidation Bribe Federalist

Author:Michael Parenti

“It is the duty of every man to render to the Creator such homage...Before any man can be considered as a member of Civil Society, he must be considered as a subject of the Governor of the Universe.”

Men Religion Universe Subjects Duty Members Creator Every Man Governors Homage Civil Society Founding Fathers Christian Founding Fathers Religion Federalist Federalist Papers Christian Heritage

Author:James Madison

“The die is cast in Canada: there are two ethnic and linguistic groups; each is too strong and too deeply rooted in the past, too firmly bound to a mother culture, to be able to swamp the other. But if the two will collaborate inside of a truly pluralist state, Canada could become a privileged place where the federalist form of government, which is the government of tomorrow's world, will be perfected.”

Ifs World Two States Government Able Past Form Mother Dies Culture Strong Groups Tomorrow Bounds Casts Canada Rooted Privileged Forms Of Government Swamps Federalist

Author:Pierre Trudeau

“In The Federalist, James Madison called the rage for equality 'a wicked project.' People differ and rewards differ-that's the essence of both liberty and justice. No nation that rewards effort, talent, inventiveness and luck can even pretend to cherish equal outcomes. In an inventive and dynamic society, equal (even relatively equal) incomes can be achieved only by abandoning liberty for tyranny.”

People Nations Justice Effort Liberty Talent Equal Projects Essence Luck Rewards Rage Tyranny Income Outcomes Wicked Cherish Madison Federalist Liberty And Justice Inventiveness

Author:Michael Novak

“The Second Amendment, like the rest of the Bill of Rights, was meant to inhibit only the federal government, not the states. The framers, as The Federalist Papers attest (see No. 28), saw the state militias as forces that might be summoned into action against the federal government itself, if it became tyrannical.”

“There is really quite an inherent danger in the traditional British view that the council of ministers and inter-governmentalism is your protection against the federalist superstate.”

Views Danger British Protection Traditional Ministers Inherent Council Federalist

Author:Gisela Stuart

“The great object is that every man be armed.”

Source: Patrick Henry in his speeches and writings and in the words of his contemporaries

“In war, too, the discretionary power of the Executive is extended; its influence in dealing out offices, honors, and emoluments is multiplied; and all the meaning of seducing the minds, are added to those of subduing the force, of the people. The same malignant aspect in republicanism may be traced in the inequality of fortunes, and the opportunities of fraud, growing out of a state of war, and in the degeneracy of manners and morals, engendered by both. No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare.”

“A zeal for different opinions concerning religion, concerning government, and many other points, as well of speculation as of practice; an attachment to different leaders ambitiously contending for pre-eminence and power; or to persons of other descriptions whose fortunes have been interesting to the human passions, have, in turn, divided mankind into parties, inflamed them with mutual animosity, and rendered them much more disposed to vex and oppress each other than to co-operate for their common good.”

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

“Conscience is the most sacred of all property; other property depending in part on positive law, the exercise of that being a natural and unalienable right. To guard a man's house as his castle, to pay public and enforce private debts with the most exact faith, can give no title to invade a man's conscience, which is more sacred than his castle, or to withhold from it that debt of protection for which the public faith is pledged by the very nature and original conditions of the social pact.”

Source: Letters and Other Writings of James Madison

“Hence it is that such democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths. Theoretic politicians, who have patronized this species of government, have erroneously supposed that by reducing mankind to a perfect equality in their political rights, they would, at the same time, be perfectly equalized and assimilated in their possessions, their opinions, and their passions.”

Source: The Fœderalist: A Collection of Essays, Written in Favor of the New Constitution, as Agreed Upon by the Fœderal Convention, September 17, 1787. Reprinted from the Original Text. With an Historical Introduction and Notes

“In time of actual war, great discretionary powers are constantly given to the Executive Magistrate. Constant apprehension of War, has the same tendency to render the head too large for the body. A standing military force, with an overgrown Executive will not long be safe companions to liberty.”

Source: The Writings of James Madison: 1787. The journal of the Constitutional convention

“So strong is this propensity of mankind to fall into mutual animosities, that where no substantial occasion presents itself, the most frivolous and fanciful distinctions have been sufficient to kindle their unfriendly passions and excite their most violent conflicts. But the most common and durable source of factions has been the various and unequal distribution of property.”

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

“If I could not go to heaven with but a party, I would not go there at all. Therefore, I am not of the party of federalists. But I am much further from that of the anti-federalists.”

Ifs Heaven Party If I Could Federalist

Author:Thomas Jefferson

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

Source: 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

“Obama is now fighting for his life. He's fighting for a federal government. I believe in a federal government. I hope it sticks around. We had the American Revolution. There was this whole tension between the federalists and the anti-federalists. Then we had the Civil War. We had Lincoln fighting for it. And the secessionists were there. And we have the same issue today.”