Common Quote by James Madison

... the State Legislatures will jealously and closely watch the operations of this Government, and be able to resist with more effect every assumption…

— James Madison

But ambitious encroachments of the federal government, on the authority of the State governments, would not excite the opposition of a single State, or…

— James Madison

The frame of mind in the local legislatures seems to be exerted to prevent the federal constitution from having any good effect.

— Henry Knox

The legislatures will have better means of information. They can discover the danger at a distance; and possessing all the organs of civil power,…

— Alexander Hamilton

The State governments possess inherent advantages, which will ever give them an influence and ascendancy over the National Government, and will for ever preclude…

— Alexander Hamilton

Let me be clear: My purpose is not to put Congress in charge of state elections. That's the opposite of what I want.The Constitution…

— Bill Hagerty

The extent to which not just state legislatures but the Congress of the United States are now run by large corporate special interests is…

— Molly Ivins

“A mood of constructive criticism being upon me, I propose forthwith that the method of choosing legislators now prevailing in the United States be…

— H.L. Mencken

It appears to me, then, little short of a miracle, that the Delegates from so many different States . . . should unite in…

— George Washington

It is of course true that any kind of judicial legislation is objectionable on the score of the limited interests which a Court can…

— Learned Hand

there ought always to be a constitutional method of giving efficacy to constitutional provisions. What for instance would avail restrictions on the authority of…

— James Madison

The greatest single virtue of a strong legislature is not what it can do, but what it can prevent.

— J. William Fulbright