The Land of the Free - Quotes by James Madison

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Quotes by James Madison:
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"Because experience witnesseth that eccelsiastical establishments, instead of maintaining the purity and efficacy of Religion, have had a contrary operation. During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What have been its fruits? More or less in all places, pride and indolence in the Clergy, ignorance and servility in the laity, in both, superstition, bigotry and persecution." - James Madison, "A Memorial and Remonstrance", 1785 *No, he isn't critisizing Christianity as a religion or denoucing it. He is critisizing the "church" and the problems inherant in an organized religion that breed a distortion of its true form. Many people who try to argue that the founding fathers were not Christians will misquote this and use it as part of their argument so be warned.

"If men were angels, no government would be necessary; if angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary." - James Madison (Federalist #51)

“We have staked the whole future of our new nation, not upon the power of government; far from it. We have staked the future of all our political constitutions upon the capacity of each of ourselves to govern ourselves according to the moral principles of the Ten Commandments.” - James Madison (original source not verified Suplimental Source: "America's God And Country Encyclopedia Of Quotations." William J. Federer. Fame Publishing, Inc. 820 South MacArthur Blvd., Coppell, Texas 75019-4214. 1994)

"The first question that offers itself is, whether the general form and aspect of the government be strictly republican. It is evident that no other form would be reconcilable with the genius of the people of America; with the fundamental principles of the Revolution; or with that honorable determination which animates every votary of freedom, to rest all our political experiments on the capacity of mankind for self-government." - James Madison (Federalist #39)

"I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison, Virginia ratification Convention (source)

Books on James Madison:

"Besides the advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation, the existence of subordinate governments, to which the people are attached, and by which the militia officers are appointed, forms a barrier against the enterprises of ambition" James Madison (Federalist Paper #46)

"There is not a shadow of right in the general government to intermeddle in religion. It's least interference with it would be a most flagrant usurpation." James Madison (The Writings of James Madison, Vol. 5, pp. 176, 132.)

"A well regulated militia, composed of the people, trained to arms, is the best and most natural defense of a free country." James Madison (1st Annals of Congress, at 434, June 8th 1789)

"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." - James Madison Speech in Congress on "Self-Created Societies" November 27, 1794

"I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents." - James Madison 4th President of the United States and Chief Architect of the Constitution 1792 (original source not found)