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| cowboy67 (profile) wrote, on 5-14-2005 at 3:44pm | |
| Subject: just spell it out for us, Madison |
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| "The means of defense against foreign danger historically have become the instruments of tyranny at home." "It is a universal truth that the loss of liberty at home is to be charged to the provisions against danger, real or pretended, from abroad." "It will be of little avail to the people that the laws are made by men of their own choice if the laws be so voluminous that they cannot be read, or so incoherent that they cannot be understood." "If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy." "Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives." "Do not separate text from historical background. If you do, you will have perverted and subverted the Constitution, which can only end in a distorted, bastardized form of illegitimate government." "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." "No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare." "Of all the enemies of public liberty, war is perhaps the most to be dreaded, because it comprises and develops the germ of every other." "The advancement and diffusion of knowledge is the only guardian of true liberty." "We are right to take alarm at the first experiment upon our liberties." "What is government itself but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? 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." |
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| Anonymous | 05-14-05 7:42pm "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. "
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amazighstarrynights | 05-16-05 11:15am Verstraete where are you with the comments on this one?? Madison, what a great guy (he was sorta cute too...) haha |