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349 Powerful James Madison Quotes to Inspire You

Authority | Burdens | Constitution | Danger | Economic Inequality | Freedom | Government | Human Nature | Interests | Justice | More

About James Madison
James Madison (March 16, 1751 – June 28, 1836), often referred to as the “Father of the Constitution”, was a pivotal figure in the formation of the United States. As the fourth President of the United States and a key architect of the U.S. Constitution, Madison played a central role in shaping the foundational principles of American democracy. His contributions to the Federalist Papers and his advocacy for the Bill of Rights highlight his commitment to balancing power between state and federal governments, ensuring a system of checks and balances that would serve as a cornerstone for American governance.

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Here are 349 Powerful quotes by James Madison on various topics to inspire you.

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A man has a property in his opinions and the

1. “A man has a property in his opinions and the free communication of them.”

Property, Opinions, Communication, Freedom Of Speech, Individual Rights

Bills of attainder ex-post facto laws and laws impairing the

2. “Bills of attainder, ex-post facto laws and laws impairing the obligation of contracts are contrary to the first principles of the social compact, and to every principle of sound legislation.”

Bills, Laws, Social Compact, Legislative Principles, Legal Integrity

The Constitution of the United States was created by the

3. “The Constitution of the United States was created by the people of the United States composing the respective states, who alone had the right.”

Constitution, People, Right, Governance Principle, Political Foundation

The necessity of a senate is not less indicated by

4. “The necessity of a senate is not less indicated by the propensity of all single and numerous assemblies, to yield to the impulse of sudden and violent passions, and to be seduced by factious leaders, into intemperate and pernicious resolutions.”

Senate, Assemblies, Passions, Political Leadership, Governance Stability

Where an excess of power prevails property of no sort

5. “Where an excess of power prevails, property of no sort is duly respected. No man is safe in his opinions, his person, his faculties, or his possessions.”

Power, Excess, Property, Personal Safety, Civil Rights

People will continue to seek justice until it is found

6. “People will continue to seek justice until it is found, or until liberty is lost in the pursuit.”

Justice, Liberty, Pursuit, Civic Engagement, Societal Values

If we advert to the nature of republican government we

7. “If we advert to the nature of republican government, we shall find that the censorial power is in the people over the government, and not in the government over the people.”

Republican, Government, Power, Civic Oversight, Political Philosophy

The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal

8. “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.”

Powers, Constitution, Federal Government, State Governments, Political Structure

A bad cause seldom fails to betray itself

9. “A bad cause seldom fails to betray itself.”

Cause, Betray, Self-evidence, Moral Clarity, Political Ethics

Every word decides a question between power and liberty

10. “Every word decides a question between power and liberty.”

Word, Power, Liberty, Political Dynamics, Societal Implications

The inference to which we are brought is that the

11. “The inference to which we are brought is that the causes of faction cannot be removed and that relief is only to be sought in the means of controlling its effects.”

Faction, Causes, Relief, Political Control, Societal Issues

Besides the obscurity arising from the complexity of objects and

12. “Besides the obscurity arising from the complexity of objects, and the imperfection of the human faculties, the medium through which the conceptions of men are conveyed to each other adds a fresh embarrassment.”

Obscurity, Complexity, Communication, Human Faculties, Understanding

The real difference of interests lay not between large and

13. “The real difference of interests lay not between large and small, but between the Northern and Southern states. The institution of slavery and its consequences formed a line of discrimination.”

Interests, Slavery, Northern, Southern States, Societal Division

The eyes of the world being thus on our Country

14. “The eyes of the world being thus on our Country, it is put the more on its good behavior, and under the greater obligation also, to do justice to the Tree of Liberty by an exhibition of the fine fruits we gather from it.”

World, Country, Liberty, Civic Responsibility, National Behavior

I have no doubt but that the misery of the

15. “I have no doubt but that the misery of the lower classes will be found to abate whenever the Government assumes a freer aspect and the laws favor a subdivision of Property.”

Misery, Lower Classes, Government, Property, Social Equity

To promote the progress of science and useful arts by

16. “To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries.”

Science, Arts, Progress, Intellectual Property, Creative Rights

Our opinions agree as to the evil moral political and

17. “Our opinions agree as to the evil, moral, political, and economical, of slavery.”

Evil, Slavery, Opinions, Moral Issues, Societal Impact

War is in fact the true nurse of executive aggrandizement

18. “War is in fact the true nurse of executive aggrandizement.”

War, Executive, Aggrandizement, Political Power, Governance Dynamics

What spectacle can be more edifying or more seasonable than

19. “What spectacle can be more edifying or more seasonable, than that of Liberty and Learning, each leaning on the other for their mutual and surest support?”

Liberty, Learning, Support, Mutual Benefit, Civic Enlightenment

Cursed be all that learning that is contrary to the

20. “Cursed be all that learning that is contrary to the cross of Christ.”

Learning, Cross, Christ, Religious Belief, Moral Perspective

Toleration is not the opposite of intolerance but is the

21. “Toleration is not the opposite of intolerance, but is the counterfeit of it. Both are despotisms. The one assumes to itself the right of withholding liberty of conscience, the other of granting it.”

Toleration, Intolerance, Despotism, Religious Freedom, Civic Rights

The number the industry and the morality of the priesthood

22. “The number, the industry, and the morality of the priesthood, and the devotion of the people have been manifestly increased by the total separation of the church from the state.”

Priesthood, Morality, Separation, Church-state Relations, Societal Improvement

Happily for America happily we trust for the whole human

23. “Happily for America, happily, we trust, for the whole human race, they pursued a new and more noble course. They accomplished a revolution which has no parallel in the annals of human society.”

America, Revolution, Noble, Historical Significance, Societal Change

It is a misfortune incident to republican government though in

24. “It is a misfortune incident to republican government, though in a less degree than to other governments, that those who administer it may forget their obligations to their constituents, and prove unfaithful to their important trust.”

Misfortune, Republican, Obligations, Civic Duty, Political Administration

I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of

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

Freedom, Encroachments, Usurpations, Political Control, Civil Liberties

The magnitude of this evil among us is so deeply

26. “The magnitude of this evil among us is so deeply felt, and so universally acknowledged, that no merit could be greater than that of devising a satisfactory remedy for it.”

Magnitude, Evil, Remedy, Societal Issues, Political Merit

For the same reason that the members of the State

27. “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.”

Legislatures, National, Local, Political Focus, Governance Issues

If we are to take for the criterion of truth

28. “If we are to take for the criterion of truth the majority of suffrages, they ought to be gotten from those philosophic and patriotic citizens who cultivate their reason.”

Criterion, Truth, Majority, Civic Responsibility, Rational Discourse

It is in vain to oppose constitutional barriers to the

29. “It is in vain to oppose constitutional barriers to the impulse of self-preservation. It is worse than in vain; because it plants in the Constitution itself necessary usurpations of power, every precedent of which is a germ of unnecessary and multiplied repetitions.”

Constitutional, Barriers, Self-preservation, Government Power, Political Usurpation

And I have no doubt that every new example will

30. “And I have no doubt that every new example will succeed, as every past one has done, in showing that religion and Government will both exist in greater purity, the less they are mixed together.”

Religion, Government, Separation, Civic Integrity, Constitutional Principles