---
title: "6 Charter Quotes By James Madison"
description: "6 Charter quotes by James Madison. Plus more from James Madison and more Charter sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/james-madison-373_bounds_as-compacts-charters-of-government-are-s_383364.png"
---

> [As compacts, charters of government are superior in obligation to all others, because they give effect to all others. As truths, none…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/as-compacts-charters-of-government-are-superior-in-obligation-to-all/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/james-madison-373_bounds_as-compacts-charters-of-government-are-s_383364.png)

> [The people are the only legitimate fountain of power, and it is from them that the constitutional charter, under which the several…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-people-are-the-only-legitimate-fountain-of-power-and-it-is-from/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6c/james-madison-373_branches_the-people-are-the-only-legitimate-fount_526399.png)

> [The citizens of the United States have peculiar motives to support the energy of their constitutional charters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-citizens-of-the-united-states-have-peculiar-motives-to-support/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe0/james-madison-373_charter_the-citizens-of-the-united-states-have-p_651738.png)

> [ In Europe, charters of liberty have been granted by Power. In America ... charters of power \[are\] granted by liberty. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/in-europe-charters-of-liberty-have-been-granted-by-power-in-america/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa6/james-madison-373_america_in-europe-charters-of-liberty-have-been_776849.png)

> [As the people are the only legitimate fountain of power, and it is from them that the constitutional charter, under which the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/as-the-people-are-the-only-legitimate-fountain-of-power-and-it-is/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/746/james-madison-373_authority_as-the-people-are-the-only-legitimate-fo_1869318.jpg)

> [In Europe, charters of liberty have been granted by power. America has set the example . . . of charters of power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/in-europe-charters-of-liberty-have-been-granted-by-power-america-has-2/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc7/james-madison-373_america_in-europe-charters-of-liberty-have-been_2788719.png)

## Other authors on Charter

## More by James Madison

> [“Knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own governors, must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/knowledge-will-forever-govern-ignorance-and-a-people-who-mean-to-be/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [Rulers who wished to subvert the public liberty, may have found an established Clergy convenient auxiliaries. A just Government instituted to secure & perpetuate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/rulers-who-wished-to-subvert-the-public-liberty-may-have-found-an/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-powers-delegated-by-the-proposed-constitution-to-the-federal/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [How could a readiness for war in time of peace be safely prohibited, unless we could prohibit, in like manner, the preparations and establishments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/how-could-a-readiness-for-war-in-time-of-peace-be-safely-prohibited/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, selfappointed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-accumulation-of-all-powers-legislative-executive-and-judiciary-in/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [ It is certain that every class is interested in \[educational\] establishments which give to the human mind its highest improvements, and to every Country… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/it-is-certain-that-every-class-is-interested-in-educational/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [Since it is impossible for the people spontaneously and universally, to move in concert towards their object; and it is therefore essential, that such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/since-it-is-impossible-for-the-people-spontaneously-and-universally/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [The definition of the right of suffrage is very justly regarded as a fundamental article of republican government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-definition-of-the-right-of-suffrage-is-very-justly-regarded-as-a/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [The future and success of America is not in this Constitution, but in the laws of God upon which this Constitution is founded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-future-and-success-of-america-is-not-in-this-constitution-but-in/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [They can make no law which will not have its full operation on themselves and their friends, as well as on the great mass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/they-can-make-no-law-which-will-not-have-its-full-operation-on/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [The effect of a representative democracy is to refine and enlarge the public views, by passing them through the medium of a chosen body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-effect-of-a-representative-democracy-is-to-refine-and-enlarge-the/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [“... But besides the danger of a direct mixture of Religion & civil Government , there is an evil which ought to be guarded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/but-besides-the-danger-of-a-direct-mixture-of-religion-civil/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [Although all men are born free, slavery has been the general lot of the human race. Ignorant--they have been cheated; asleep--they have been surprised;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/although-all-men-are-born-free-slavery-has-been-the-general-lot-of/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [“It may be a reflection on human nature, that such devices should be necessary to control the abuses of government. But what is government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/it-may-be-a-reflection-on-human-nature-that-such-devices-should-be/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [The better proof of reverence for that holy name would be not to profane it by making it a topic of legislative discussion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-better-proof-of-reverence-for-that-holy-name-would-be-not-to/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

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