Allow a government to decline paying its debts and you overthrow all public morality — you unhinge all the principles that preserve the limits of free constitutions. Nothing can more affect national prosperity than a constant and systematic attention to extinguish the present debt and to avoid as much as possible the incurring of any new debt.
Tag: Alexander Hamilton
(1755–1804) The first United States Secretary of the Treasury, a Founding Father, economist, and political philosopher.
Will power
In the general course of human nature, a power over a man’s subsistence amounts to a power over his will.
Our greatest source of security
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.
Democracy is a disease and a poison
I will here express but one sentiment, which is, that dismemberment of our empire will be a clear sacrifice of great positive advantages, without any counterbalancing good; administering no relief to our real disease; which is democracy, the poison of which by a subdivision will only be the more concentrated in each part, and consequently the more virulent.
No acquiescence to thugs
A nation, which can prefer appeasement over danger is prepared for a master, and deserves one.
Government must serve everyone equally
Government is instituted for the common good; for the protection, safety, prosperity, and happiness of the people; and not for profit, honor, or private interest of any one man, family, or class of men; therefore, the people alone have an incontestable, unalienable, and indefeasible right to institute government; and to reform, alter, or totally change the same, when their protection, safety, prosperity, and happiness require it.
The free market and national wealth
The prosperity of commerce is now perceived and acknowledged by all enlightened statesmen to be the most useful as well as the most productive source of national wealth, and has accordingly become a primary object of its political cares.
Pausing immigration to rid newcomers of foreign attachments
[T]here is a wide difference between closing the door altogether and throwing it entirely open; between a postponement of fourteen years and an immediate admission to all the rights of citizenship. Some reasonable term ought to be allowed to enable aliens to get rid of foreign and acquire American attachments; to learn the principles and imbibe the spirit of our government; and to admit of at least a probability of their feeling a real interest in our affairs.
The threat of open borders
To admit foreigners indiscriminately to the rights of citizens the moment they put foot in our country would be nothing less than to admit the Grecian horse into the citadel of our liberty and sovereignty.
Strict immigration laws protect our nation
In the recommendation to admit indiscriminately foreign emigrants of every description to the privileges of American citizens on their first entrance into our country, there is an attempt to break down every pale which has been erected for the preservation of a national spirit and a national character; and to let in the most powerful means of perverting and corrupting both the one and the other.