Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There was never a democracy yet that did not commit suicide. It is in vain to say that democracy is less vain, less proud, less selfish, less ambitious or less avaricious than aristocracy or monarchy. It is not true in fact and no where appears in history. Those passions are the same in all men under all forms of simple government, and when unchecked, produce the same effects of fraud violence and cruelty.
Overbearing majority
Measures are too often decided, not according to the rules of justice and the rights of the minor party, but by the superior force of an interested and overbearing majority.
Freedom
Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.
Extremism and moderation
I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.
The logic of the Constitution in two sentences
The attributes of the federal government were carefully defined [in the Constitution], and all that was not included among them was declared to remain to the governments of the individual states. Thus the government of the states remained the rule, and that of the federal government the exception.
Our government is above the law
I call the present system ‘Post-Constitutional America.’ As I sometimes put it, the U.S. Constitution poses no serious threat to our form of government.
Trading liberty for safety
Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.
The most sacred duty of government
The most sacred of the duties of a government [is] to do equal and impartial justice to all citizens.
Too bad it’s not our money
We have the best Congress that money can buy.
Set business free
I think all the world would gain by setting commerce at perfect liberty.