A monarchy is a merchantman which sails well, but will sometimes strike on a rock, and go to the bottom; a republic is a raft which will never sink, but then your feet are always in the water.

Democracy, in its best state, is but the politics of Bedlam; while kept chained, its thoughts are frantic, but when it breaks loose, it kills the keeper, fires the building, and perishes.

America is rising with a giant's strength. Its bones are yet but cartilages.

Time never fails to bring every exalted reputation to a strict scrutiny.

Liberty has never lasted long in a democracy, nor has it ever ended in anything better than despotism.

The known propensity of a democracy is to licentiousness which the ambitious call, and ignorant believe to be liberty.

The people as a body cannot deliberate. Nevertheless, they will feel an irresistible impulse to act, and their resolutions will be dictated to them by their demagogues... and the violent men, who are the most forward to gratify those passions, will be their favorites. What is called the government of the people is in fact too often the arbitrary power of such men. Here, then, we have the faithful portrait of democracy.