Hamilton on the Constitution

"[T]here is not a syllable in the plan under consideration which directly empowers the national courts to construe the laws according to the spirit of the Constitution." - Alexander Hamilton

On that note, look for the start of Brushing Up On The Constitution: Article Two later this week.

Adams On Virtue

"We ought to consider what is the end of government before we determine which is the best form. Upon this point all speculative politicians will agree that the happiness of society is the end of government, as all divines and moral philosophers will agree that the happiness of the individual is the end of man....All sober inquirers after truth, ancient and modern, pagan and Christian, have declared that the happiness of man, as well as his dignity, consists in virtue." - John Adams

Witherspoon on Corruption

"Nothing is more certain than that a general profligacy and corruption of manners make a people ripe for destruction. A good form of government may hold the rotten materials together for some time, but beyond a certain pitch, even the best constitution will be ineffectual, and slavery must ensue." - John Witherspoon

Henry On Liberty

"Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God. I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" - Patrick Henry

Marshall On Taxes

"An unlimited power to tax involves, necessarily, a power to destroy; because there is a limit beyond which no institution and no property can bear taxation." - John Marshall

Wilson On Law And Liberty

"Without liberty, law loses its nature and its name, and becomes oppression. Without law, liberty also loses its nature and its name, and becomes licentiousness." - James Wilson

Samuel Adams On Vice And Liberty

"Since private and publick Vices, are in Reality, though not always apparently, so nearly connected, of how much Importance, how necessary is it, that the utmost Pains be taken by the Publick, to have the Principles of Virtue early inculcated on the Minds even of children, and the moral Sense kept alive, and that the wise institutions of our Ancestors for these great Purposes be encouraged by the Government. For no people will tamely surrender their Liberties, nor can any be easily subdued, when knowledge is diffusd and Virtue is preservd. On the Contrary, when People are universally ignorant, and debauchd in their Manners, they will sink under their own weight without the Aid of foreign Invaders." - Samuel Adams

Ouch. That cuts right to the heart of the matter, doesn't it? Now, I'm not trying to sound too doom-and-gloom here, but upon looking around, it really does seem that he hit the nail on the head...

Madison On The First Amendment

"The civil rights of none, shall be abridged on account of religious belief or worship, nor shall any national religion be established, nor shall the full and equal rights of conscience be in any manner, or on any pretext infringed. " - James Madison

The differences between this and the final version of the amendment are rather interesting.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Honestly, I have to say that Madison's version is at once clearer and more powerful, even though the two statements are covering essentially the same material. If only he could have managed to stick with the "nor shall any national religion be established" portion, it might have saved us a few headaches.

Well, at the least, it's an interesting window into what people are now calling original intent.

Washington On Patriotism

"Citizens by birth or choice of a common country, that country has a right to concentrate your affections. The name of American, which belongs to you, in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of Patriotism, more than any appellation derived from local discriminations." - George Washington

This seems to be turning into a regular comment on these, but it sure feels like we've come an awful long way from this idea, and we're not exactly heading in the right direction.

Washington On The Citizen Military

"When we assumed the Soldier, we did not lay aside the Citizen; and we shall most sincerely rejoice with you in the happy hour when the establishment of American Liberty, upon the most firm and solid foundations shall enable us to return to our Private Stations in the bosom of a free, peacefully and happy Country." - George Washington

Benjamin Rush On Patriotism

"Patriotism is as much a virtue as justice, and is as necessary for the support of societies as natural affection is for the support of families." - Benjamin Rush

Jefferson On Spending

"The same prudence which in private life would forbid our paying our own money for unexplained projects, forbids it in the dispensation of the public moneys." - Thomas Jefferson

You know, I've done a handful of these quotes so far, and the majority of them are from Jefferson. Would that we had more people in the halls of power with his good sense and restraint now.

Alexander Hamilton On Redress of Grievances

"If the federal government should overpass the just bounds of its authority and make a tyrannical use of its powers, the people, whose creature it is, must appeal to the standard they have formed, and take such measures to redress the injury done to the Constitution as the exigency may suggest and prudence justify." - Alexander Hamilton

As usual, I'm getting these founders quotes from the Patriot Post. (Link goes to subscription for the free e-mails.)

Jefferson On Government

"If we can prevent the government from wasting the labors of
the people, under the pretence of taking care of them, they must
become happy." - Thomas Jefferson

Remembering Reagan

Unfortunately for me, I was too young to realize or understand the import of President Reagan when he was in office. Still, every time I look back, I'm always coming across a quote of his that I find at least amusing, and often timely... Yes, even today. So, in remembrance, on his birthday, I thought I'd offer up a few of my favorites.

Quick credit where credit is due: To make sure I got the wording on the following quotes correct, I looked them up at www.quotationspage.com.

"How do you tell someone is a communist? Well, it's someone who reads Marx and Lenin. And how do you tell and anti-communist? It's someone who understands Marx and Lenin."

"Freedom is one of the deepest and noblest aspirations of the human spirit."

"Thomas Jefferson once said, "We should never judge a president by his age, only by his works." And ever since he told me that, I stopped worrying."

"Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first."

And, having saved my two favorites for last:
"The government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it."

"The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, "I'm from the government, and I'm here to help.""

A Couple of Quick Quotes

"How many observe Christ's birth-day! How few, his precepts! O! 'tis easier to keep Holidays than Commandments." -- Benjamin Franklin

"To restore... harmony,... to render us again one people acting as one nation should be the object of every man really a patriot." -- Thomas Jefferson

An Equal-Opportunity Quotation

"Democracy does not guarantee equality of conditions - it only guarantees equality of opportunity." -- Irving Kristol

Jefferson On Taxes

"Would it not be better to simplify the system of taxation rather
than to spread it over such a variety of subjects and pass through
so many new hands." -- Thomas Jefferson

For those who might wonder where these come from, you can get 'em yourself five times a week by subscribing to the Patriot Post's Founder's Quote Daily.

Ripples of 231 Years

"Our country is in danger, but not to be despaired of. Our enemies are numerous and powerful; but we have many friends, determining to be free, and heaven and earth will aid the resolution. On you depend the fortunes of America. You are to decide the important question, on which rest the happiness and liberty of millions yet unborn. Act worthy of yourselves." -- Joseph Warren, on March 6th, 1775

The Spread of Information

"No one more sincerely wishes the spread of information among
mankind than I do, and none has greater confidence in its effect
towards supporting free and good government." - Thomas Jefferson

It's certainly enough to get one to thinkin'... Here we are, using the greatest invention for the spread of information since the printing press, most likely, but how much of an effect has it had in supporting "free and good government"? Certainly, it would be easy to come up with a list of things that the increased spread of information has wrought in relation to better government, but at the same time, even a very limited search can turn up vast amounts of misinformation.

That said, "trust, but verify" is still the order of the day. If something sounds unbelievable, or too good to be true, there are extensive resources available to use in backing it up, or not, as the case may be... and that's the true value of the current spread of information - even if small, the truth is going to get a voice. And the truth, as usual, will out.