--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are under a Constitution, but the…" description: "\"We are under a Constitution, but the Constitution is what the judges say it is, and the judiciary is the safeguard of our property and our liberty and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/692/charles-evans-hughes-19073_constitution_we-are-under-a-constitution-but-the-cons_2176812.jpg" --- # We are under a Constitution, but the Constitution is what… ![“We are under a Constitution, but the Constitution is what the judges say it is, and the judiciary is the safeguard of our property and our liberty and our property under the Constitution.” quote by Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/692/charles-evans-hughes-19073_constitution_we-are-under-a-constitution-but-the-cons_2176812.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/692/charles-evans-hughes-19073_constitution_we-are-under-a-constitution-but-the-cons_2176812.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/692/charles-evans-hughes-19073_constitution_we-are-under-a-constitution-but-the-cons_2176812.jpg) > “We are under a Constitution, but the Constitution is what the judges say it is, and the judiciary is the safeguard of our property and our liberty and our property under the Constitution.” [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) ## 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’s meaning is shaped by judicial interpretation, which protects property and liberty. **In simple terms:** Judges define constitutional rights. Key Takeaway Support an independent judiciary. Themes law constitution judiciary Mood serious thoughtful Type legal political When to use this quote - court decisions - civil rights - property disputes - policy debates Key Concepts legal theory interpretation Questions to Reflect On - How should judges balance law and politics? - What safeguards ensure impartiality? A Different Perspective Judicial power can be politicized. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Judiciary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judiciary/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Property](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/property/) ## Related quotes > [“Another view of the Constitution was put forward early in the twentieth century by the historian Charles Beard (arousing anger and indignation, including a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/another-view-of-the-constitution-was-put-forward-early-in-the/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [The congress of the United States possesses no power to regulate, or interfere with the domestic concerns, or police of any state: it belongs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-george-tucker/the-congress-of-the-united-states-possesses-no-power-to-regulate-or/) [St. George Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-george-tucker/) > [...Cities may be rebuilt, and a People reduced to Poverty, may acquire fresh Property: But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/cities-may-be-rebuilt-and-a-people-reduced-to-poverty-may-acquire/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [ One of the most extraordinary examples in recent decades \[of unitary visions of constitutional enterprise\] is found in a book called "Takings"... Epstein makes… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-tribe/one-of-the-most-extraordinary-examples-in-recent-decades-of-unitary/) [Laurence Tribe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-tribe/) > [Basically, if you become president, you must swear to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution and what the Constitution says.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-hsien-loong/basically-if-you-become-president-you-must-swear-to-preserve-protect/) [Lee Hsien Loong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-hsien-loong/) > [The Constitution is constant. There's not one elected official who has the power to change it. There is a way to amend the Constitution,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-constitution-is-constant-there-s-not-one-elected-official-who-has/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I believe in the Constitution. The Constitution says that government isn't supposed to be infusing religion into our society, and so I asked to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-newdow/i-believe-in-the-constitution-the-constitution-says-that-government/) [Michael Newdow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-newdow/) > [“A constitution is not a thing in name only, but in fact. It has not an ideal, but a real existence; and wherever it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/a-constitution-is-not-a-thing-in-name-only-but-in-fact-it-has-not-an/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [I rise in support of the separation of powers as established by our Founding Fathers in the Constitution. The Constitution clearly delegates the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-rohrabacher/i-rise-in-support-of-the-separation-of-powers-as-established-by-our/) [Dana Rohrabacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-rohrabacher/) > [I don't care about the Constitution! The Constitution isn't here; you're here. Don't be a pinhead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/i-don-t-care-about-the-constitution-the-constitution-isn-t-here-you/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [The laws are, and ought to be, relative to the constitution, and not the constitution to the laws. A constitution is the organization of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/the-laws-are-and-ought-to-be-relative-to-the-constitution-and-not-the/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [The Constitution is what the judges say it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/the-constitution-is-what-the-judges-say-it-is/) [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The judiciary must not take on the coloration of whatever may be popular at the moment. We are guardian of rights, and we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-bird/the-judiciary-must-not-take-on-the-coloration-of-whatever-may-be/) [Rose Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-bird/) > [The Only cure for nihilism is for liberal democratic societies - their electorates, their judiciary, and their political leadership- to insist that force is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/the-only-cure-for-nihilism-is-for-liberal-democratic-societies-their/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) ## More by Charles Evans Hughes > [War should be made a crime, and those who instigate it should be punished as criminals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/war-should-be-made-a-crime-and-those-who-instigate-it-should-be/) [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) > [The Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal will take care of themselves. Look after the courts of the poor, who stand most in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/the-supreme-court-and-the-court-of-appeal-will-take-care-of/) [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) > [When we lose the right to be different, we lose the privilege to be free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/when-we-lose-the-right-to-be-different-we-lose-the-privilege-to-be/) [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) > [The United States is the greatest law factory the world has ever known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/the-united-states-is-the-greatest-law-factory-the-world-has-ever-known/) [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) > [Men do not die from overwork. They die from dissipation and worry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/men-do-not-die-from-overwork-they-die-from-dissipation-and-worry/) [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) > [Each man begins with his own world to conquer, and his education is the measure of his conquest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/each-man-begins-with-his-own-world-to-conquer-and-his-education-is/) [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) > [Our institutions were not devised to bring about uniformity of opinion; if they had we might well abandon hope. It is important to remember,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/our-institutions-were-not-devised-to-bring-about-uniformity-of/) [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) > [I believe in work, hard work, and long hours of work. Men do not breakdown from overwork, but from worry and dissipation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/i-believe-in-work-hard-work-and-long-hours-of-work-men-do-not/) [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) > [While democracy must have its organizations and controls, its vital breath is individual liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/while-democracy-must-have-its-organizations-and-controls-its-vital/) [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) > [Selfishness and demagoguery take advantage of liberty. The selfish hand constantly seeks to control government, and every increase of governmental power, even to meet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/selfishness-and-demagoguery-take-advantage-of-liberty-the-selfish/) [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) > [But it is recognized that punishment for the abuse of the liberty accorded to the press is essential to the protection of the public,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/but-it-is-recognized-that-punishment-for-the-abuse-of-the-liberty/) [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) > [The Constitution is what the judges say it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/the-constitution-is-what-the-judges-say-it-is/) [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) > [Every young man should aim at independence and should prepare himself for a vocation; above all, he should so manage his life that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/every-young-man-should-aim-at-independence-and-should-prepare-himself/) [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) > [I think that it is a fallacy to suppose that helpful cooperation in the future will be assured by the attempted compulsion of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/i-think-that-it-is-a-fallacy-to-suppose-that-helpful-cooperation-in/) [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) > [The power to wage war is the power to wage war successfully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/the-power-to-wage-war-is-the-power-to-wage-war-successfully/) [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) [Explore all 33 Charles Evans Hughes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) ## More Constitution quotes > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. 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Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [While not widely reported, our victories in Iraq are plentiful. National elections, a democratic parliament and the drafting of a constitution are just some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gillmor/while-not-widely-reported-our-victories-in-iraq-are-plentiful/) [Paul Gillmor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gillmor/) > [In a recent decision of the Supreme Court, not made, however, by the full court, and concurred in by only four justices, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bates-clark/in-a-recent-decision-of-the-supreme-court-not-made-however-by-the/) [John Bates Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bates-clark/) > [The judiciary must not take on the coloration of whatever may be popular at the moment. We are guardian of rights, and we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-bird/the-judiciary-must-not-take-on-the-coloration-of-whatever-may-be/) [Rose Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-bird/) > [There is not a revolution that succe Women are suffering because they are being excluded. The high military council excluded women from the committee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/there-is-not-a-revolution-that-succe-women-are-suffering-because-they/) [Nawal El Saadawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawal-el-saadawi/) > [Free government is founded in jealousy, and not in confidence; it is jealousy, and not confidence, which prescribes limited constitutions, to bind down those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/free-government-is-founded-in-jealousy-and-not-in-confidence-it-is/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The American Constitution declares 'All men are born equal.' The British Socialist Party add: 'All men must be kept equal'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-american-constitution-declares-all-men-are-born-equal-the-british/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [“The Court has a special responsibility to ensure that the Constitution works in practice. While education, including the transmission of our civic values from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/the-court-has-a-special-responsibility-to-ensure-that-the/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [The Constitution is very clear on the - on the declaration of war or reacting to international crimes - crimes against nations. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-pitts/the-constitution-is-very-clear-on-the-on-the-declaration-of-war-or/) Joe Pitts > [Nothing from man's hands, nor law, nor constitution, can be final. 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If such has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/i-am-apprehensive-sir-that-in-the-warmth-of-my-feelings-i-may-have/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [Conservative political opinion in America cleaves to the tradition of the judge as passive interpreter, believing that his absolute loyalty to authoritative law is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/conservative-political-opinion-in-america-cleaves-to-the-tradition-of/) [Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/) [Browse all 4,507 Constitution quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We are under a Constitution, but the Constitution is what the judges say it is, and the judiciary is the safeguard of our property and our liberty and our property under the Constitution.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Evans Hughes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/we-are-under-a-constitution-but-the-constitution-is-what-the-judges-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Constitution" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/we-are-under-a-constitution-but-the-constitution-is-what-the-judges-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/692/charles-evans-hughes-19073_constitution_we-are-under-a-constitution-but-the-cons_2176812.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/692/charles-evans-hughes-19073_constitution_we-are-under-a-constitution-but-the-cons_2176812.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/692/charles-evans-hughes-19073_constitution_we-are-under-a-constitution-but-the-cons_2176812.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We are under a Constitution, but the Constitution is what the judges say it is, and the judiciary is the…” — Charles Evans Hughes", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Charles Evans Hughes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We are under a Constitution, but...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/we-are-under-a-constitution-but-the-constitution-is-what-the-judges-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/we-are-under-a-constitution-but-the-constitution-is-what-the-judges-2/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```