Every nation ought to have a right to provide for its own happiness. — Alexander Hamilton

The honor of a nation is its life. — Alexander Hamilton

There can be no time, no state of things, in which Credit is not essential to a Nation. — Alexander Hamilton

Divide et impera must be the motto of every nation that either hates or fears us. — Alexander Hamilton

The nation which can prefer disgrace to danger is prepared for a master and deserves one. — Alexander Hamilton

The superiority…enjoyed by nations that have…perfected a branch of industry, constitutes a…formidable obstacle. — Alexander Hamilton

A nation has a right to manage its own concerns as it thinks fit. — Alexander Hamilton

The honor of a nation is its life. Deliberately to abandon it is to commit an act of political suicide. — Alexander Hamilton

The circumstances that endanger the safety of nations are infinite, and for this reason no constitutional shackles can wisely be imposed on the power to which the care of it is committed. — Alexander Hamilton

I]n framing a Government for a nation we ought, in those provisions which are designed to be permanent, to calculate not on temporary, but on permanent causes of expence. — Alexander Hamilton

In the usual progress of thIngs, the necessities of a nation In every stage of its existence will be found at least equal to its resources. — Alexander Hamilton

Safety from external danger is the most powerful director of national conduct. To be more safe, [nations] at length become willing to run the risk of being less free. — Alexander Hamilton

To cherish and stimulate the activity of the human mind, by multiplying the objects of enterprise, is not among the least considerable of the expedients, by which the wealth of a nation may be promoted. — Alexander Hamilton

A powerful, victorious ally is yet another name for master. — Alexander Hamilton

The civil jury is a valuable safeguard to liberty. — Alexander Hamilton

H]owever weak our country may be, I hope we shall never sacrifice our liberties. — Alexander Hamilton

V]igor of government is essential to the security of liberty. — Alexander Hamilton

The loss of liberty to a generous mind is worse than death. — Alexander Hamilton

And it proves, in the last place, that liberty can have nothing to fear from the judiciary alone, but would have everything to fear from its union with either of the other departments. — Alexander Hamilton

Remember civil and religious liberty always go together: if the foundation of the one be sapped, the other will fall of course. — Alexander Hamilton

Real liberty is neither found in despotism or the extremes of democracy, but in moderate governments. — Alexander Hamilton

How can you trust people who are poor and own no property? … Inequality of property will exist as long as liberty exists. — Alexander Hamilton

That standing army can never be formidable (threatening) to the liberties of the people, while there is a large body of citizens, little if at all inferior to them in the use of arms. — Alexander Hamilton

Schemes to subvert the liberties of a great community require time to mature them for execution. — Alexander Hamilton

We are now forming a republican government. Real liberty is never found in despotism or the extremes of democracy, but in moderate governments. — Alexander Hamilton

Safety from external danger is the most powerful director of national conduct. Even the ardent love of liberty will, after a time, give way to its dictates. — Alexander Hamilton

T]hough individual oppression may now and then proceed fro the courts of justice, the general liberty of the people can never be endangered from that quarter . . . — Alexander Hamilton

Of those men who have overturned the liberties of republics the greatest number have begun their career, by paying an obsequious court to the people; commencing Demagogues, and ending Tyrants. — Alexander Hamilton

Civil liberty is only natural liberty, modified and secured by the sanctions of civil society. — Alexander Hamilton

The Liberty of the press consists in the right to publish with impunity truth with good motives for justifiable ends, though reflecting on government, magistracy, or individuals. — Alexander Hamilton

Power over a man’s subsistence is power over his will. — Alexander Hamilton

A] power equal to every possible contingency must exist somewhere in the government . . . — Alexander Hamilton

The powers contained in a constitution…ought to be construed liberally in advancement of the public good. — Alexander Hamilton

Give all the power to the many, they will oppress the few. Give all the power to the few, they will oppress the many. — Alexander Hamilton

It will follow that that government ought to be clothed with all powers requisite to complete execution of its trust. — Alexander Hamilton

If there are such things as political axioms, the propriety of the judicial power of a government being co–extensive with its legislative, may be ranked among the number. — Alexander Hamilton

In the general course of human nature, A power over a man’s subsistence amounts to a power over his will. — Alexander Hamilton

An enlightened zeal for the energy and efficiency of government will be stigmatized, as the offspring of a temper fond of despotic power, and hostile to the principles of liberty. — Alexander Hamilton

The rights of neutrality will only be respected when they are defended by an adequate power. A nation, despicable by its weakness, forfeits even the privilege of being neutral. — Alexander Hamilton

In the maIn it will be found that a power over a mans support [salary] is a power over his will. — Alexander Hamilton

The institution of delegated power implies that there is a portion of virtue and honor among mankind which may be a reasonable foundation of confidence. — Alexander Hamilton

If the exercise of power of internal taxation by the Union should be discovered on experiment to be really inconvenient, the federal government may then forbear the use of it . . . — Alexander Hamilton

A fondness for power is implanted in most men, and it is natural to abuse it when acquired. — Alexander Hamilton

The power of creating new funds upon new objects of taxation, by its own authority, would enable the national government to borrow as far as its necessities might require. — Alexander Hamilton

When a government betrays the people by amassing too much power and becoming tyrannical, the people have no choice but to exercise their original right of self–defense–to fight the government. — Alexander Hamilton

Every power vested in a government is in its nature sovereign, and includes by force of the term a right to employ all the means requisite . . . to the attainment of the ends of such power. — Alexander Hamilton

A treaty cannot be made which alters the Constitution of the country, or which infringes and express exceptions to the power of the Constitution. — Alexander Hamilton

The fabric of American empire ought to rest on the solid basis of THE CONSENT OF THE PEOPLE. The streams of national power ought to flow from that pure, original fountain of all legitimate authority. — Alexander Hamilton

The true principle of government is this–make the system compleat in its structure; give a perfect proportion and balance to its parts; and the powers you give it will never affect your security. — Alexander Hamilton

The [president] has no particle of spiritual jurisdiction. . . . — Alexander Hamilton

Happy will it be for ourselves, and most honorable for human nature, if we have wisdom and virtue enough to set so glorious an example to mankind! — Alexander Hamilton

Those who have a tolerable knowledge of human nature will not stand in need of such lights. — Alexander Hamilton

Let experience, the least fallible guide of human opinion, be appealed to for an answer to these inquiries. — Alexander Hamilton

The desire of reward is one of the strongest incentives of human conduct; … the best security for the fidelity of mankind is to make their interest coincide with their duty. — Alexander Hamilton

It is in vain to hope to guard against events too mighty for human foresight or precaution, and it would be idle to object to a government because it could not perform impossibilities. — Alexander Hamilton

These are not vague inferences . . . but they are solid conclusions drawn from the natural and necessary progress of human affairs. — Alexander Hamilton

It is a general principle of human nature, that a man will be interested in whatever he possesses, in proportion to the firmness or precariousness of the tenure by which he holds it. — Alexander Hamilton

To model our political system upon speculations of lasting tranquility, is to calculate on the weaker springs of the human character. — Alexander Hamilton

There is a certain enthusiasm in liberty, that makes human nature rise above itself, in acts of bravery and heroism. — Alexander Hamilton

Take mankind as they are, and what are they governed by? Their passions. — Alexander Hamilton

What is the most sacred duty and the greatest source of our security in a Republic? An inviolable respect for the Constitution and Laws. — Alexander Hamilton

If it be asked, what is the most sacred duty and the greatest source of our security in a republic? the answer would be, an inviolable respect for the constitution and laws. — Alexander Hamilton

The genius of the people will ill brook the inquisitive and peremptory spirit of excise laws. — Alexander Hamilton

The laws of Congress are restricted to a certain sphere, and when they depart from this sphere, they are no longer supreme or binding. — Alexander Hamilton

A sacred respect for the constitutional law is the vital principle, the sustaining energy of a free government. — Alexander Hamilton

Laws are a dead letter without courts to expound and define their true meaning and operation. — Alexander Hamilton

Government is frequently and aptly classed under two descriptions–a government of force, and a government of laws; the first is the definition of despotism–the last, of liberty. — Alexander Hamilton

I would die to preserve the law upon a solid foundation; but take away liberty, and the foundation is destroyed. — Alexander Hamilton

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

When human laws contradict or discountenance the means, which are necessary to preserve the essential rights of any society, they defeat the proper end of all laws, and so become null and void. — Alexander Hamilton

The injury which may possibly be done by defeating a few good laws, will be amply compensated by the advantage of preventing a number of bad ones. — Alexander Hamilton

The propriety of a law, in a constitutional light, must always be determined by the nature of the powers upon which it is founded. — Alexander Hamilton

The treaties of the United States, to have any force at all, must be considered as part of the law of the land. — Alexander Hamilton

A LAW, by the very meaning of the term, includes supremacy. It is a rule which those to whom it is prescribed are bound to observe. This results from every political association. — Alexander Hamilton

Its objects are CONTRACTS with foreign nations which have the force of law, but derive it from the obligations of good faith. — Alexander Hamilton

Law is defined to be a rule of action; but how can that be a rule, which is little known and less fixed? — Alexander Hamilton

Government implies the power of making laws. It is essential to the idea of a law, that it be attended with a sanction; or, in other words, a penalty or punishment for disobedience. — Alexander Hamilton

I propose . . . . The conformity of the proposed Constitution to the true principles of republican government. — Alexander Hamilton

If the constitution is adopted the union will be in fact and in theory an association of states of a confederacy. — Alexander Hamilton

The truth is, after all the declamations we have heard, that the Constitution is itself, in every rational sense, and to every useful purpose, A BILL OF RIGHTS. — Alexander Hamilton

The constitution shall never be construed…to prevent the people of the United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms. — Alexander Hamilton

We are attempting, by this Constitution, to abolish factions, and to unite all parties for the general welfare. — Alexander Hamilton

After an unequivocal experience of the inefficacy of the subsisting federal government, you are called upon to deliberate on a new Constitution for the United States of America. — Alexander Hamilton

For my part, I sincerely esteem the Constitution, a system which without the finger of God, never could have been suggested and agreed upon by such a diversity of interests. — Alexander Hamilton

Constitutions should consist only of general provisions; the reason is that they must necessarily be permanent, and that they cannot calculate for the possible change of things. — Alexander Hamilton

The natural cure for an ill–administration, in a popular or representative constitution, is a change of men. — Alexander Hamilton