I join cordially in admiring and revering the Constitution…
“I join cordially in admiring and revering the Constitution of the United States, the result of the collected wisdom of our country. That wisdom has committed to us the important task of proving by example that a government, if organized in all its parts on the Representative principle unadulterated by the infusion of spurious elements, if founded, not in the fears & follies of man, but on his reason, on his sense of right, on the predominance of the social over his dissocial passions, may be so free as to restrain him in no moral right, and so firm as to protect him from every moral wrong.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The Constitution embodies collective wisdom, aiming for a government guided by reason and the common good, free from fear and selfish impulses.
In simple terms: The Constitution seeks reasoned, common‑good governance.
Key Takeaway
Uphold reason and the common good.
Themes
government
constitution
reason
common good
rights
Mood
reflective
optimistic
Type
historical
political
When to use this quote
- legislative drafting
- civic education
- public policy debates
- constitutional interpretation
Key Concepts
social contract
republicanism
philosophy
Questions to Reflect On
- How can modern societies ensure reason guides governance?
- What safeguards prevent selfish interests from corrupting the common good?
A Different Perspective
Idealized view may overlook practical political compromises and power dynamics.