[N]o religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.

Those who proposed the Constitution knew, and those who ratified the Constitution also knew that this is...a limited government tied down to specified powers....It was never supposed or suspected that the old Congress could give away the money of the states to encourage agriculture or for any other purpose they pleased.

Despotism can only exist in darkness.

In time of actual war, great discretionary powers are constantly given to the Executive Magistrate. Constant apprehension of War, has the same tendency to render the head too large for the body. A standing military force, with an overgrown Executive will not long be safe companions to liberty.

The future and success of America is not in this Constitution, but in the laws of God upon which this Constitution is founded.

Who are to be the objects of popular choice? Every citizen whose merit may recommend him to the esteem and confidence of his country.

[Y]ou will understand the game behind the curtain too well not to perceive the old trick of turning every contingency into a resource for accumulating force in the government.