Quotes · Skopia

30 quotes

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Essay · Political literature

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

Alexander Hamilton

Federalist 15 · 1787

★ 7.1

Essay · Political literature

It seems to have been reserved to the people of this country, by their conduct and example, to decide the important question, whether societies of men are really capable or not of establishing good government from reflection and choice, or whether they are forever destined to depend for their political constitutions on accident and force.

Alexander Hamilton

Federalist 1 · 1787

★ 7.0

Essay · Political literature

The fabric of American empire ought to rest on the solid basis of THE CONSENT OF THE PEOPLE. The streams of national power ought to flow immediately from that pure, original fountain of all legitimate authority.

Alexander Hamilton

Federalist 22 · 1787

★ 7.0

Essay · Political literature

Of those men who have overturned the liberties of republics, the greatest number have begun their career by paying an obsequious court to the people; commencing demagogues, and ending tyrants.

Alexander Hamilton

Federalist 1 · 1787

★ 7.0

Political literature

The sacred rights of mankind are not to be rummaged for among old parchments or musty records. They are written, as with a sunbeam, in the whole volume of human nature, by the hand of the divinity itself; and can never be erased or obscured by mortal power.

Alexander Hamilton

New-York Gazetteer · 1775

★ 5.2

Essay · Political literature

The vigor of government is essential to the security of liberty.

Alexander Hamilton

Federalist 1 · 1787

★ 3.9

Essay · Political literature

Energy in the Executive is a leading character in the definition of good government.

Alexander Hamilton

Federalist 70 · 1788

★ 3.8

Essay · Political literature

The interpretation of the laws is the proper and peculiar province of the courts.

Alexander Hamilton

Federalist 78 · 1788

★ 3.8

Essay · Political literature

We, upon many occasions, see wise and good men on the wrong as well as on the right side of questions of the first magnitude to society. This circumstance, if duly attended to, would furnish a lesson of moderation to those who are ever so much persuaded of their being in the right in any controversy.

Alexander Hamilton

Federalist 1 · 1787

★ 3.7

Essay · Political literature

For 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.

Alexander Hamilton

Federalist 1 · 1787

★ 3.7

Essay · Political literature

A dangerous ambition more often lurks behind the specious mask of zeal for the rights of the people than under the forbidden appearance of zeal for the firmness and efficiency of government.

Alexander Hamilton

Federalist 1 · 1787

★ 3.7

Essay · Political literature

If mankind were to resolve to agree in no institution of government, until every part of it had been adjusted to the most exact standard of perfection, society would soon become a general scene of anarchy, and the world a desert.

Alexander Hamilton

Federalist 65 · 1788

★ 3.7

Essay · Political literature

A constitution is, in fact, and must be regarded by the judges, as a fundamental law. It therefore belongs to them to ascertain its meaning, as well as the meaning of any particular act proceeding from the legislative body. If there should happen to be an irreconcilable variance between the two, that which has the superior obligation and validity ought, of course, to be preferred; or, in other words, the Constitution ought to be preferred to the statute, the intention of the people to the intention of their agents.

Alexander Hamilton

Federalist 78 · 1788

★ 3.7

If the end be clearly comprehended within any of the specified powers, and if the measure have an obvious relation to that end, and is not forbidden by any particular provision of the Constitution- it may safely be deemed to come within the compass of the national authority.

Alexander Hamilton

1791

★ 3.6

I hate Congress—I hate the army—I hate the world—I hate myself. The whole is a mass of fools and knaves.

Alexander Hamilton

1780

★ 2.8

Essay · Political literature

Let Americans disdain to be the instruments of European greatness! Let the thirteen States, bound together in a strict and indissoluble Union, concur in erecting one great American system, superior to the control of all transatlantic force or influence, and able to dictate the terms of the connection between the old and the new world!

Alexander Hamilton

Federalist 11 · 1787

★ 2.8

Essay · Political literature

The natural cure for an ill-administration, in a popular or representative constitution, is a change of men.

Alexander Hamilton

Federalist 21 · 1787

★ 2.1

Essay · Political literature

In disquisitions of every kind, there are certain primary truths, or first principles, upon which all subsequent reasonings must depend.

Alexander Hamilton

Federalist 31 · 1788

★ 2.1

Essay · Political literature

Government implies the power of making laws. It is essential to the idea of a law, that it be attended with a sanction; or, in other words, a penalty or punishment for disobedience.

Alexander Hamilton

Federalist 15 · 1787

★ 2.0

We are now forming a republican government. Real liberty is neither found in despotism or the extremes of democracy, but in moderate governments.

Alexander Hamilton

1787

★ 2.0

Essay · Political literature

We must bear in mind that we are not to confine our view to the present period, but to look forward to remote futurity. Constitutions of civil government are not to be framed upon a calculation of existing exigencies, but upon a combination of these with the probable exigencies of ages, according to the natural and tried course of human affairs.

Alexander Hamilton

Federalist 34 · 1788

★ 2.0

Essay · Political literature

As the plan of the convention aims only at a partial union or consolidation, the State governments would clearly retain all the rights of sovereignty which they before had, and which were not, by that act, EXCLUSIVELY delegated to the United States.

Alexander Hamilton

Federalist 32 · 1788

★ 2.0

Essay · Political literature

Wherever two or more persons are engaged in any common enterprise or pursuit, there is always danger of difference of opinion. If it be a public trust or office, in which they are clothed with equal dignity and authority, there is peculiar danger of personal emulation and even animosity.

Alexander Hamilton

Federalist 70 · 1788

★ 2.0

Essay · Political literature

That inflexible and uniform adherence to the rights of the Constitution, and of individuals, which we perceive to be indispensable in the courts of justice, can certainly not be expected from judges who hold their offices by a temporary commission.

Alexander Hamilton

Federalist 78 · 1788

★ 2.0

Essay · Political literature

The judiciary, on the contrary, has no influence over either the sword or the purse; no direction either of the strength or of the wealth of the society; and can take no active resolution whatever. It may truly be said to have neither FORCE nor WILL, but merely judgment.

Alexander Hamilton

Federalist 78 · 1788

★ 2.0

All communities divide themselves into the few and the many. The first are the rich and well born, the other the mass of the people... The people are turbulent and changing; they seldom judge or determine right. Give therefore to the first class a distinct, permanent share in the government. They will check the unsteadiness of the second, and as they cannot receive any advantage by a change, they therefore will ever maintain good government.

Alexander Hamilton

1787

★ 1.9

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

Alexander Hamilton

1781

★ 1.2

Essay · Political literature

Among the most formidable of the obstacles which the new Constitution will have to encounter may readily be distinguished the obvious interest of a certain class of men in every State to resist all changes which may hazard a diminution of the power, emolument, and consequence of the offices they hold under the State establishments.

Alexander Hamilton

Federalist 1 · 1787

★ 1.2

Essay · Political literature

Bills of rights, in the sense and to the extent in which they are contended for, are not only unnecessary in the proposed Constitution, but would even be dangerous. They would contain various exceptions to powers not granted; and, on this very account, would afford a colorable pretext to claim more than were granted.

Alexander Hamilton

Federalist 84 · 1788

★ 1.2

Essay · Political literature

Little more can reasonably be aimed at, with respect to the people at large, than to have them properly armed and equipped; and in order to see that this be not neglected, it will be necessary to assemble them once or twice in the course of a year.

Alexander Hamilton

Federalist 29 · 1788

★ 1.2