Alexander Hamilton
Men often oppose a thing merely because they have had no agency in planning it, or because it may have been planned by those whom they dislike.Collection: Men
There is a certain enthusiasm in liberty, that makes human nature rise above itself, in acts of bravery and heroism.Collection: Veterans
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.Collection: Government
Let us recollect that peace or war will not always be left to our option; that however moderate or unambitious we may be, we cannot count upon the moderation, or hope to extinguish the ambition of others.Collection: War
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.Collection: Religion
Why has government been instituted at all? Because the passions of men will not conform to the dictates of reason and justice, without constraint.Collection: Men
There are seasons in every country when noise and impudence pass current for worth; and in popular commotions especially, the clamors of interested and factious men are often mistaken for patriotism.Collection: Patriotism
Why has government been instituted at all? Because the passions of man will not conform to the dictates of reason and justice without constraint.Collection: Government
I think the first duty of society is justice.Collection: Society
Constitutions should consist only of general provisions; the reason is that they must necessarily be permanent, and that they cannot calculate for the possible change of things.Collection: Change
Men are rather reasoning than reasonable animals, for the most part governed by the impulse of passion.Collection: Men
I never expect to see a perfect work from an imperfect man.Collection: Work
The inquiry constantly is what will please, not what will benefit the people. In such a government there can be nothing but temporary expedient, fickleness, and folly.Collection: Government
Nobody expects to trust his body overmuch after the age of fifty.Collection: Age
Even to observe neutrality you must have a strong government.Collection: Government
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.Collection: Nature
The voice of the people has been said to be the voice of God; and, however generally this maxim has been quoted and believed, it is not true to fact. The people are turbulent and changing, they seldom judge or determine right.Collection: God
Learn to think continentally.Collection: Education
Unless your government is respectable, foreigners will invade your rights; and to maintain tranquillity, it must be respectable - even to observe neutrality, you must have a strong government.Collection: Government
When the sword is once drawn, the passions of men observe no bounds of moderation.Collection: Men
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.Collection: Nature
It's not tyranny we desire; it's a just, limited, federal government.Collection: Government
Power over a man's subsistence is power over his will.Collection: Power
A promise must never be broken.
A well adjusted person is one who makes the same mistake twice without getting nervous.
The nation which can prefer disgrace to danger is prepared for a master and deserves one.
You should not have taken advantage of my sensibility to steal into my affections without my consent.
Real liberty is neither found in despotism or the extremes of democracy, but in moderate governments.
A national debt, if it is not excessive, will be to us a national blessing.
The honor of a nation is its life.
Real firmness is good for anything; strut is good for nothing.
Here, sir, the people govern; here they act by their immediate representatives.
To all general purposes we have uniformly been one people, each individual citizen everywhere enjoying the same national rights, privileges, and protection.
It is the advertiser who provides the paper for the subscriber. It is not to be disputed, that the publisher of a newspaper in this country, without a very exhaustive advertising support, would receive less reward for his labor than the humblest mechanic.
In the usual progress of things, the necessities of a nation in every stage of its existence will be found at least equal to its resources.
Safety from external danger is the most powerful director of national conduct. Even the ardent love of liberty will, after a time, give way to its dictates.
When a government betrays the people by amassing too much power and becoming tyrannical, the people have no choice but to exercise their original right of self-defense — to fight the government.Collection: Fighting
Give all the power to the many, they will oppress the few. Give all the power to the few, they will oppress the many.Collection: Giving
People sometimes attribute my success to my genius; all the genius I know anything about is hard work.Collection: Inspirational
One great error is that we suppose mankind more honest than they are.Collection: Honesty
A sacred respect for the constitutional law is the vital principle, the sustaining energy of a free government.Collection: Government
A nation which can prefer disgrace to danger is prepared for a master, and deserves one.Collection: Voting
The people alone have an incontestable, unalienable, and indefeasible right to institute government and to reform, alter, or totally change the same when their protection, safety, prosperity, and happiness require it.Collection: Government
Man is either governed by his own laws - freedom - or the laws of another - slavery. Are you willing to become slaves? Will you give up your freedom, your life and your property without a single struggle? No man has a right to rule over his fellow creatures.Collection: Giving Up
Foreign influence is truly the Grecian horse to a republic. We cannot be too careful to exclude its influence.Collection: Horse
Men give me credit for some genius. All the genius I have lies in this; when I have a subject in hand, I study it profoundly. Day and night it is before me. My mind becomes pervaded with it. Then the effort that I have made is what people are pleased to call the fruit of genius. It is the fruit of labor and thought.Collection: Lying
The practice of arbitrary imprisonments have been, in all ages, the favorite and most formidable instruments of tyranny.Collection: Practice
We are now forming a republican government. Real liberty is never found in despotism or the extremes of democracy, but in moderate governments.Collection: Freedom
The loss of liberty to a generous mind is worse than death.Collection: Loss
The best we can hope for concerning the people at large is that they be properly armed.Collection: Gun