John C. Calhoun Quotes
32 quotes
in 506 categories
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The Government of the absolute majority instead of the Government of the people is but the Government of the strongest interests; and when not efficiently…
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The interval between the decay of the old and the formation and establishment of the new constitutes a period of transition which must always necessarily…
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The Union next to our liberties the most dear. May we all remember that it can only be preserved by respecting the rights of the…
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It is harder to preserve than to obtain liberty.
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A power has risen up in the government greater than the people themselves, consisting of many and various powerful interests, combined in one mass, and…
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The error is in the assumption that the General Government is a party to the constitutional compact. The States ... formed the compact, acting as…
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The very essence of a free government consists in considering offices as public trusts, bestowed for the good of the country, and not for the…
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[The taxing power of the state] divides the community into two great classes: one consisting of those who, in reality, pay the taxes and, of…
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Democracy, as I understand it, requires me to sacrifice myself for the masses, not to them. Who knows not that if you would save the…
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Protection and patriotism are reciprocal.
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The defence of human liberty against the aggressions of despotic power have been always the most efficient in States where domestic slavery was to prevail.
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A revolution in itself is not a blessing.
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In looking back, I see nothing to regret and little to correct.
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Learn from your mistakes and build on your successes.
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The surrender of life is nothing to sinking down into acknowledgment of inferiority.
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The object of a Constitution is to restrain the Government, as that of laws is to restrain individuals.
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Irresponsible power is inconsistent with liberty, and must corrupt those who exercise it.
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To maintain the ascendancy of the Constitution over the lawmaking majority is the great and essential point on which the success of the [American] system…
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I take higher ground. I hold that in the present state of civilization, where two races of different origin, and distinguished by color, and other…
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It would be well for those interested to reflect whether there now exists, or ever has existed, a wealthy and civilized community in which one…
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