Inspirational Quotations

Inspirational Quotes by James Madison (American Statesman, President)

James Madison (1751–1836,) in full James Madison, Jr., was a Democratic-Republican Party political leader who served as the fourth president of the U.S. (1809–17.) As one of America’s Founding Fathers, he was one of the most active delegates to the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and played a leading part in drawing up the U.S. Constitution.

Born in Port Conway, Virginia, Madison graduated from the College of New Jersey (now Princeton) and quickly became involved in revolutionary politics. In 1776, he was a member of the Virginian Convention, and he served in the Continental Congress (1780–83, 1787) and the Virginia legislature (1784–86.)

At the Constitutional Convention (1787,) Madison influenced the planning and ratification of the U.S. Constitution and collaborated with Alexander Hamilton and John Jay to publish the Federalist papers (1787–88.) His ability to engineer compromises won him the title ‘master-builder of the constitution.’

As a member of the new House of Representatives from Virginia (1789–97,) he sponsored the Constitution’s first ten amendments, commonly called the Bill of Rights. He was a leader of the Jeffersonian Republicans, joining Thomas Jefferson in opposing the Alien and Sedition Acts and drawing up the Virginia Resolves.

When Jefferson was elected president in 1800, Madison was made Secretary of State, and, in 1809, he succeeded Jefferson as president. His administration was dominated by concerns about the European wars of the period and the damage done to American commerce. By the War of 1812, an unpopular conflict with Great Britain in which the USA gained none of its objectives. In 1817, at the close of his second term, Madison retired to Virginia.

More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by James Madison

All men having power ought to be distrusted to a certain degree.
—James Madison
Topics: Government, Trust

Religious bondage shackles and debilitates the mind and unfits it for every noble enterprise, every expanded prospect.
—James Madison
Topics: Religion

Learned Institutions ought to be favorite objects with every free people. They throw that light over the public mind which is the best security against crafty and dangerous encroachments on the public liberty.
—James Madison
Topics: Education

That the General Assembly of Virginia, doth unequivocally express a firm resolution to maintain and defend the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of this State, against every aggression either foreign or domestic … That this Assembly doth explicitly and peremptorily declare, that it views the powers of the federal government, as resulting from the compact, to which the states are parties; as limited by the plain sense and intention of the instrument constituting the compact; as no further valid than they are authorized by the grants enumerated in that compact; and that in case of deliberate, palpable, and dangerous exercise of other powers, not granted by the said compact, the states who are parties thereto, have the right, and are in duty bound, to interpose for arresting the progress of the evil, and for maintaining within their respective limits, the authorities, rights and liberties appertaining to them.
—James Madison
Topics: Government

A well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained in arms, is the best most natural defense of a free country.
—James Madison
Topics: Defense

The proposed Constitution is, in strictness, neither a national nor a federal constitution; but a composition of both.
—James Madison

If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy.
—James Madison
Topics: Oppression

Those who are to conduct a war cannot in the nature of things, be proper or safe judges, whether a war ought to be commenced, continued, or concluded.
—James Madison
Topics: War

The nation which reposes on the pillow of political confidence, will sooner or later end its political existence in a deadly lethargy.
—James Madison
Topics: Nation

War should only be declared by the authority of the people, whose toils and treasures are to support its burdens, instead of the government which is to reap its fruits.
—James Madison
Topics: Authority

What spectacle can be more edifying or more seasonable, than that of Liberty & Learning, each leaning on the other for their mutual & surest support?
—James Madison

Union of religious sentiments begets a surprising confidence.
—James Madison
Topics: Religion

The free system of government we have established is so congenial with reason, with common sense, and with a universal feeling, that it must produce approbation and a desire of imitation, as avenues may be found for truth to the knowledge of nations.
—James Madison

Liberty may be endangered by the abuse of liberty, but also by the abuse of power.
—James Madison
Topics: Liberty

The diversity in the faculties of men, from which the rights of property originate, is not less an insuperable obstacle to an uniformity of interests. The protection of these faculties is the first object of government.
—James Madison
Topics: Property

The means of defense against foreign danger historically have become the instruments of tyranny at home.
—James Madison
Topics: Defense

Government is instituted to protect property of every sort; as well that which lies in the various rights of individuals, as that which the term particularly expresses. This being the end of government, which impartially secures to every man, whatever is his own.
—James Madison
Topics: Government

The safety and happiness of society are the objects at which all political institutions aim, and to which all such institutions must be sacrificed.
—James Madison
Topics: Safety

War contains so much folly, as well as wickedness, that much is to be hoped from the progress of reason; and if any thing is to be hoped, every thing ought to be tried.
—James Madison

In order to judge of the form to be given to this institution the Senate, it will be proper to take a view of the ends to be served by it. These were, first, to protect the people against their rulers, secondly, to protect the people against the transient impressions into which they themselves might be led.
—James Madison

The powers of the federal government are enumerated; it can only operate in certain cases; it has legislative powers on defined and limited objects, beyond which it cannot extend its jurisdiction.
—James Madison
Topics: Government

We have seen the mere distinction of colour made in the most enlightened period of time, a ground of the most oppressive dominion ever exercised by man over man.
—James Madison
Topics: Government

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.
—James Madison
Topics: Justice

The POWER of taxing people AND their property IS essential TO the very existence of government.
—James Madison
Topics: Taxes

The genius of Republican liberty, seems to demand on one side, not only that all power should be derived from the people; but, that those entrusted with it should be kept in dependence on the people, by a short duration of their appointments; and, that, even during this short period, the trust should be placed not in a few, but in a number of hands. Stability, on the contrary, requires, that the hands, in which power is lodged, should continue for a length of time, the same. A frequent change of men will result from a frequent return of electors, and a frequent change of measures, from a frequent change of men; whilst energy in Government requires not only a certain duration of power, but the execution of it by a single hand.
—James Madison

Each generation should be made to bear the burden of its own wars, instead of carrying them on, at the expense of other generations.
—James Madison
Topics: Youth

We are right to take alarm at the first experiment upon our liberties.
—James Madison
Topics: Liberty

Since the general civilization of mankind, I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people, by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power, than by violent and sudden usurpations.
—James Madison
Topics: Freedom, Government

Equal laws protecting equal rights the best guarantee of loyalty & love of country.
—James Madison

As a man is said to have a right to his property, he may be equally said to have a property in his rights. 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.
—James Madison
Topics: Government, Property

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