James Madison
Letter to Thomas Ritchie
All power in human hands is liable to be abused. In Governments independent of the people, the rights and interest of the whole may be sacrificed to the views of the Government. In Republics, where... the majority govern, a danger to the minority arises from ... a sacrifice of their rights to the interests ... of the majority. No form of government, therefore, can be perfect guard against the abuse of power.
National Gazette
A government deriving its energy from the will of the society... is the government for which philosophy has been searching, and humanity been fighting, from the most remote ages. Such are republican governments which it is the glory of America to have invented, and her unrivalled happiness to possess.
The Federalist X
But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary.
- Erik Bruun and Robin Getzen
