I mourn for the stake which was lost at Richmond more deeply than I rejoice over that which was saved at Waterloo.

Federalism is the best curb on democracy. [It] assigns limited powers to the central government. Thereby all power is limited. It excludes absolute power of the majority.

A government does not desire its powers to be strictly defined, but the subjects require the line to be drawn with increasing precision.

Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority...

Liberty, next to religion has been the motive of good deeds and the common pretext of crime.

Learn as much by writing as by reading.

Liberty and good government do not exclude each other; and there are excellent reasons why they should go together. Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end.