Monday, April 27, 2009

Alexander Hamilton, John C. Calhoun, Justice John McLean

"It may safely be received as an axiom in our political system, that the state governments will in all possible contingencies afford complete security against invasions of the public liberty by the national authority."
-- Alexander Hamilton
(1757-1804)
Source: Federalist # 28
http://quotes.liberty-tree.ca/quote_blog/Alexander.Hamilton.Quote.D930


"It is federal, because it is the government of States united in a political union, in contradistinction to a government of individuals, that is, by what is usually called, a social compact. To express it more concisely, it is federal and not national because it is the government of a community of States, and not the government of a single State or Nation."
-- John C. Calhoun
(1782-1850) American statesman
Source: 1850, John C. Calhoun's essay entitled A Discourse on the Constitution and Government of the United States
http://quotes.liberty-tree.ca/quote_blog/John.C..Calhoun.Quote.2065


"That distinct sovereignties could exist under one government, emanating from the same people, was a phenomenon in the political world, which the wisest statesmen in Europe could not comprehend; and of its practicability many in our own country entertained the most serious doubts. Thus far the friends of liberty have had great cause of triumph in the success of the principles upon which our government rests. But all must admit that the purity and permanency of this system depend on its faithful administration. The states and the federal government have their respective orbits, within which each must revolve. If either cross the sphere of the other, the harmony of the system is destroyed, and its strength is impaired. It would be as gross usurpation on the part of the federal government, to interfere with state rights, by an exercise of powers not delegated; as it would be for a state to interpose its authority against a law of the union."
-- Justice John McLean
(1785-1861) U.S. Congressman for Ohio (1813-16), U.S. Postmaster General, Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (1830-61), presidential candidate for the Whig and Republican parties
Source: Craig v. Missouri, 4 Peters 410 (1830) [29 U.S. 410, 464]
http://quotes.liberty-tree.ca/quote_blog/John.McLean.Quote.6076

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