In a free government the security for civil rights must be the same as that for religious rights.

America was indebted to immigration for her settlement and prosperity. That part of America which had encouraged them most had advanced most rapidly in population, agriculture and the arts.

The latent causes of faction are thus sown in the nature of man; and we see them everywhere brought into different degrees of activity, according to the different circumstances of civil society.

If we advert to the nature of republican government, we shall find that the censorial power is in the people over the government, and not in the government over the people.

The truth was that all men having power ought to be distrusted to a certain degree.

A just security to property is not afforded by that government, under which unequal taxes oppress one species of property and reward another species.

Besides the advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation.... Notwithstanding the military establishments in the several kingdoms of Europe, which are carried as far as the public resources will bear, the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.