James Madison on The Federalist Papers

“Nothing can be more fallacious, than to found our political calculations on arithmetical principles.”

“The art of war teaches general principles of organization, movement, and discipline which apply universally.”

“Nothing which tends to facilitate the intercourse between the states, can be deemed unworthy of the public care.”

“But a nation of philosophers is as little to be expected, as the philosophical race of kings wished for by Plato.”

“We have heard of the impious doctrine in the old world, that the people were made for kings, not kings for people.”

“Experience is the oracle of truth; and where its responses are unequivocal, they ought to be conclusive and sacred.”

“As long as the reason of man continues fallible, and he is at liberty to exercise it, different opinions will be formed.”

“It is agreed on all sides, that numbers are the best scale of wealth and taxation, as they are the only proper scale of representation.”

“With less power, therefore, to abuse, the federal representatives can be less tempted on one side, and will be doubly watched on the other.”

“"It adds no small weight to all these considerations, to recollect, that history informs us of no long lived republic which had not a senate,"”

“It will not be denied, that power is of an encroaching nature, and that it ought to be effectively restrained from passing the limits assigned to it.”

“A local spirit will infallibly prevail much more in the members of the congress, than a national spirit will prevail in the legislatures of the particular states.”

“The people can never err more than in supposing that by multiplying their representatives beyond a certain limit, they strengthen the barrier against the government of a few.”

“I am fully aware, that among the many excellent principles which they exemplify, they carry strong marks of the haste, and still stronger of the inexperience, under which they were framed.”

“It is a matter both of wonder and regret, that those who raise so many objections against the new constitution, should never call to mind the defects of that which is to be exchanged for it.”

“The proposed constitution, therefore, even when tested by the rules laid down by its antagonists, is, in strictness, neither a national nor a federal constitution; but a composition of both.”

“It happened but too often, according to Plutarch, that the deputies of the strongest cities, awed and corrupted those of the weaker; and that judgment went in favor of the most powerful party.”

“It could not be unknown to them, that the hopes and expectations of the great body of citizens, throughout this great empire, were turned with the greatest anxiety, to the event of their deliberations.”

“No man will subject himself to the ridicule of pretending that any natural connexion subsists between the sun or the seasons, and the period within which human virtue can bear the temptations of power.”

“Canada was to be admitted of right, on her joining in the measures of the United States; and the other colonies, by which were evidently meant, the other British colonies, at the discretion of the nine states.”

“The right of coining money, which is here taken from the states, was left in their hands by the confederation, as a concurrent right with that of congress, under an exception in favour of the exclusive right of congress to regulate the alloy and value.”

“When men exercise their reason coolly and freely on a variety of distinct questions, they inevitably fall into different opinions on some of them. When they are governed by a common passion, their opinions, if they are so to be called, will be the same.”

“The aim of every political constitution is, or ought to be, first, to obtain for rulers, men who possess most wisdom to discern, and most virtue to pursue, the common good of society; and in the next place, to take the most effectual precautions for keeping them virtuous, whilst they continue to hold their public trust.”