Take mankind as they are, and what are they governed by? Their passions.

We are now forming a republican government. Real liberty is never found in despotism or the extremes of democracy, but in moderate governments.

They are not rules prescribed by the sovereign to the subject, but agreements between sovereign and sovereign.

Our countrymen have all the folly of the ass and all the passiveness of the sheep.

Wherever indeed a right of property is infringed for the general good, if the nature of the case admits of compensation, it ought to be made; but if compensation be impracticable, that impracticability ought to be an obstacle to a clearly essential reform.

If there are such things as political axioms, the propriety of the judicial power of a government being co-extensive with its legislative, may be ranked among the number.

It is by far the safer course to lay [considerations of the future] altogether aside; and to confine our attention wholly to the nature and extent of the powers as they are delineated in the constitution. Everything beyond this, must be left to the prudence and firmness of the people; who, as they will hold the scales in their own hands, it is to be hoped, will always take care to preserve the constitutional equilibrium between the General and State governments.