American citizens are instrumental in carrying on a traffic in enslaved Africans, equally in violation of the laws of humanity and in defiance of those of their own country. The same just and benevolent motives which produced interdiction in force against this criminal conduct will doubtless be felt by Congress in devising further means of suppressing the evil.

There is not a more important and fundamental principle in legislation, than that the ways and means ought always to face the public engagements; that our appropriations should ever go hand in hand with our promises.

The personal right to acquire property, which is a natural right, gives to property, when acquired, a right to protection, as a social right.

A pure democracy is a society consisting of a small number of citizens, who assemble and administer the government in person.

The establishment of the chaplainship to Congress is a palpable violation of ... constitutional principles.

They can make no law which will not have its full operation on themselves and their friends, as well as on the great mass of the society.

The means of defence against foreign danger have been always the instruments of tyranny at home. Among the Romans it was a standing maxim to excite a war, whenever a revolt was apprehended. Throughout all Europe, the armies kept up under the pretext of defending, have enslaved the people.