1788 · Skopia

Showing 39 quotes from 1788

Essay · Political literature

Ambition must be made to counteract ambition.

Federalist 51 · 1788

★ 7.6

Essay · Political literature

It may be a reflection on human nature, that such devices should be necessary to control the abuses of government. But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary.

Federalist 51 · 1788

★ 7.0

Essay · Political literature

Justice is the end of government. It is the end of civil society. It ever has been and ever will be pursued until it be obtained, or until liberty be lost in the pursuit.

Federalist 51 · 1788

★ 7.0

Essay · Political literature

The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, selfappointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.

Federalist 47 · 1788

★ 7.0

Essay · Political literature

Had every Athenian citizen been a Socrates, every Athenian assembly would still have been a mob.

Federalist 55 · 1788

★ 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

It will not be denied, that power is of an encroaching nature, and that it ought to be effectually restrained from passing the limits assigned to it.

Federalist 48 · 1788

★ 3.8

Intuition of truth, not preceded by perceptible meditation, is genius.

1788

★ 3.8

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

Is there no virtue among us? If there be not, we are in a wretched situation.

1788

★ 3.7

Essay · Political literature

The defect must be supplied, by so contriving the interior structure of the government as that its several constituent parts may, by their mutual relations, be the means of keeping each other in their proper places.

Federalist 51 · 1788

★ 3.7

Essay · Political literature

An elective despotism was not the government we fought for; but one which should not only be founded on free principles, but in which the powers of government should be so divided and balanced among several bodies of magistracy, as that no one could transcend their legal limits, without being effectually checked and restrained by the others.

Federalist 48 · 1788

★ 3.7

Essay · Political literature

The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite.

Federalist 45 · 1788

★ 3.7

Essay · Political literature

In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.

Federalist 51 · 1788

★ 3.7

Essay · Political literature

It is ESSENTIAL to such a government that it be derived from the great body of the society, not from an inconsiderable proportion, or a favored class of it; otherwise a handful of tyrannical nobles, exercising their oppressions by a delegation of their powers, might aspire to the rank of republicans, and claim for their government the honorable title of republic.

Federalist 39 · 1788

★ 3.7

Essay · Political literature

We may define a republic to be, or at least may bestow that name on, a government which derives all its powers directly or indirectly from the great body of the people, and is administered by persons holding their offices during pleasure, for a limited period, or during good behavior.

Federalist 39 · 1788

★ 3.7

Essay · Political literature

A good government implies two things: first, fidelity to the object of government, which is the happiness of the people; secondly, a knowledge of the means by which that object can be best attained.

Federalist 62 · 1788

★ 3.7

Essay · Political literature

In a society under the forms of which the stronger faction can readily unite and oppress the weaker, anarchy may as truly be said to reign as in a state of nature.

Federalist 51 · 1788

★ 3.7

Essay · Political literature

The operations of the federal government will be most extensive and important in times of war and danger; those of the State governments, in times of peace and security.

Federalist 45 · 1788

★ 3.7

Speech · Political speech

I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.

1788

★ 3.6

Historical literature

The pure and genuine influence of Christianity may be traced in its beneficial, though imperfect, effects on the barbarian proselytes of the North. If the decline of the Roman empire was hastened by the conversion of Constantine, his victorious religion broke the violence of the fall, and mollified the ferocious temper of the conquerors.

The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire · 1788

★ 3.5

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

In republican government, the legislative authority necessarily predominates.

Federalist 51 · 1788

★ 2.1

Only the soul that loves is happy.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

1788

★ 2.1

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

Philosophical literature

Two things fill the mind with ever new and increasing wonder and awe, the more often and the more seriously reflection concentrates upon them: the starry heaven above me and the moral law within me.

Critique of Practical Reason · 1788

★ 2.0

Essay · Political literature

It is of great importance in a republic not only to guard the society against the oppression of its rulers, but to guard one part of the society against the injustice of the other part.

1788

★ 2.0

Essay · Political literature

It will be of little avail to the people, that the laws are made by men of their own choice, if the laws be so voluminous that they cannot be read, or so incoherent that they cannot be understood.

Federalist 62 · 1788

★ 2.0

Essay · Political literature

Different interests necessarily exist in different classes of citizens. If a majority be united by a common interest, the rights of the minority will be insecure.

Federalist 51 · 1788

★ 2.0

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

Essay · Political literature

Each department should have a will of its own; and consequently should be so constituted that the members of each should have as little agency as possible in the appointment of the members of the others.

Federalist 51 · 1788

★ 1.2

Sermon · Speech

Slovenliness is no part of religion; that neither this, nor any text of Scripture, condemns neatness of apparel. Certainly this a duty, not a sin. "Cleanliness is, indeed, next to godliness."

1788

★ 1.0