Top 73 Quotes by James Madison

In no instance have... the churches been guardians of the liberties of the people.

A popular government without popular information or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce, or a tragedy, or perhaps both.

Liberty may be endangered by the abuse of liberty, but also by the abuse of power.

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.

Perhaps it is a universal truth that the loss of liberty at home is to be charged to provisions against danger, real or pretended, from abroad.

The executive has no right, in any case, to decide the question, whether there is or is not cause for declaring war.

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

The personal right to acquire property, which is a natural right, gives to property, when acquired, a right to protection, as a social right.

All men having power ought to be distrusted to a certain degree.

Americans have the right and advantage of being armed - unlike the citizens of other countries whose governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.