United States Republic

Washington, George, VA

Firearms stand next in importance to the Constitution itself. They are the American people's liberty teeth and keystone under independence. The church, the plow, the prairie wagon, and citizen's firearms are indelibly related. From the hour the Pilgrims landed, to the present day, events, occurrences, and tendencies prove that to insure peace, security and happiness, the rifle and the pistol are equally indispensable. Every corner of this land knows firearms, and more than 99 99/100 percent of them by their silence indicate they are in safe and sane hands. The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference; they deserve a place with all that's good. When firearms go, all goes; we need them every hour.

If men are to be precluded from offering their sentiments on a matter which may involve the most serious and alarming consequences that can invite the consideration of mankind, reason is of no use; the freedom of speech may be taken away, and dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.

Franklin, Benjamin, PA

"They that can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."

Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch.

Madison, James, VA
In the extent and proper structure of the Union, therefore, we behold a republican remedy for the diseases most incident to republican government. And according to the degree of pleasure and pride we feel in being republicans, ought to be our zeal in cherishing the spirit and supporting the character of Federalists.

Where an excess of power prevails, property of no sort is duly respected. No man is safe in his opinions, his person, his faculties, or his possessions.

We are right to take alarm at the first experiment upon our liberties.

There is no maxim, in my opinion, which is more liable to be misapplied, and which, therefore, more needs elucidation, than the current one, that the interest of the majority is the political standard of right and wrong.

The people are the only legitimate fountain of power, and it is from them that the constitutional charter, under which the several branches of government hold their power, is derived.

The Constitution preserves the advantage of being armed which Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation where the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.

This was the only defence agst. the inconveniencies of democracy consistent with the democratic form of Govt. All civilized Societies would be divided into different Sects, Factions, & interests, as they happened to consist of rich & poor, debtors & creditors, the landed, the manufacturing, the commercial interests, the inhabitants of this district or that district, the followers of this political leader or that political leader, the disciples of this religious Sect or that religious Sect. In all cases where a majority are united by a common interest or passion, the rights of the minority are in danger. What motives are to restrain them?

Hamilton, Alexander, NY

It has been observed that a pure democracy if it were practicable would be the most perfect government. Experience has proved that no position is more false than this. The ancient democracies in which the people themselves deliberated never possessed one good feature of government. Their very character was tyranny; their figure deformity.

Morris, Gouverneur, PA

Our Democrats are split... between those who have got into power and those who are getting into power on the shoulders of the mob. By this word mob, I mean not so much as the indigent as the vicious, hot-headed, and inconsiderate part of the community, together with that numerous host of tools which knaves do work with called fools. These folks are the majority of all empires, kingdoms, and commonwealths, and, of course, when not restrained by political institutions or coerced by an armed force, possess the efficient power. And as power so possessed must needs be abused, it follows, in direct consequence, that the affairs of democracy will ever be in the hands of weak and wicked men, unless when distress or danger shall compel a reluctant people to choose wise and virtuous administration.
(the diaries and letters of GouverneurMorris II 1888)

Morris, Robert, PA

Wilson, James, PA

Pinckney, Chas. Cotesworth, SC

Pinckney, Chas, SC

Rutledge, John, SC

Butler, Pierce, SC
Sherman, Roger, CT
Johnson, William Samuel, CT
McHenry, James, MD
Read, George, DE
Bassett, Richard, DE
Spaight, Richard Dobbs, NC
Blount, William, NC
Williamson, Hugh, NC
Jenifer, Daniel of St. Thomas, MD
King, Rufus, MA
Gorham, Nathaniel, MA
Dayton, Jonathan, NJ
Carroll, Daniel, MD
Few, William, GA
Baldwin, Abraham, GA
Langdon, John, NH
Gilman, Nicholas, NH
Livingston, William, NJ
Paterson, William, NJ
Mifflin, Thomas, PA
Clymer, George, PA
FitzSimons, Thomas, PA
Ingersoll, Jared, PA
Bedford, Gunning, Jr., DE
Brearley, David, NJ
Dickinson, John, DE
Blair, John, VA
Broom, Jacob, DE
Jackson, William, Secretary

Other Quotes from men of that day:

John Adams:
"Remember democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide."

Thomas Jefferson:
"The majority, oppressing an individual, is guilty of a crime, abuses its strength, and by acting on the law of the strongest breaks up the foundations of society."

"[The purpose of a written constitution is] to bind up the several branches of government by certain laws, which, when they transgress, their acts shall become nullities; to render unnecessary an appeal to the people, or in other words a rebellion, on every infraction of their rights, on the peril that their acquiescence shall be construed into an intention to surrender those rights."

"There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties, each arranged under it leader, and concerting measures in opposition to each other. This, in my humble opinion, is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution."

Edmund Randolph:

"Our chief danger arises from the democratic parts of our [state] constitutions . . . .None of the constitutions have provided sufficient checks against the democracy."

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