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List of James Madison Quotes

Explore our hand-picked selection of 548 inspiring quotes by James Madison.

About James Madison

  • Born: March 16, 1751
  • Died: June 28, 1836
  • Occupation: 4th U.S. President
    • The regulation of commerce, it is true, is a new power; but that seems to be an addition which few oppose and from which no apprehensions are entertained.
    Regulation Commerce Apprehension
    I do not conceive that power is given to the president and senate to dismember the empire, or to alienate any great, essential right. i do not think the whole legislative authority have this power. the exercise of the power must be consistent with the object of the delegation.
    Exercise Thinking President
    [montesquieu] lifted the veil from the venerable errors which enslaved opinion, and pointed the way to those luminous truths of which he had but a glimpse himself.
    Errors Glimpse Veils
    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.
    Law Giving Negative
    The alien bill proposed in the senate is a monster that must forever disgrace its parents.
    Parent Forever Monsters
    It was by the sober sense of our citizens that we were safely and steadily conducted from monarchy to republicanism, and it is by the same agency alone we can be kept from falling back.
    War Fall Agency
    Because the bill in reserving a certain parcel of land in the united states for the use of said baptist church comprises a principle and a precedent for the appropriation of funds of the united states for the use and support of religious societies, contrary to the article of the constitution which declares that "congress shall make no law respecting a religious establishment."
    Religious Law Land
    It may well happen that the public voice, pronounced by the representatives of the people, will be more constant to the public good than if pronounced by the people themselves.
    Voice People Democracy
    American citizens are instrumental in carrying on a traffic in enslaved africans, equally in violation of the laws of humanity and in defiance of those of their own country. the same just and benevolent motives which produced interdiction in force against this criminal conduct will doubtless be felt by congress in devising further means of suppressing the evil.
    Country Mean Law
    It is due to justice; due to humanity; due to truth; due to the sympathies of our nature; in fine, to our character as a people, both abroad and at home, that they should be considered, as much as possible, in the light of human beings, and not as mere property. as such, they are acted on by our laws, and have an interest in our laws. they may be considered as making a part, though a degraded part, of the families to which they belong.
    Character Home Light
    Outlets for the freed blacks are alone wanted for the erasure of the blot from our republican character.
    Character Slavery Republican
    As to the permanent interest of individuals in the aggregated interests of the community, and in the proverbial maxim, that honesty is the best policy, present temptation is often found to be an overmatch for those considerations.
    Honesty Community Temptation
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