--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The real difference of interests, lay not…" description: "\"The real difference of interests, lay not between large and small, but between the Northern and Southern states. The institution of slavery and its con..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d18/james-madison-373_consequence_the-real-difference-of-interests-lay-not_1337175.png" --- # The real difference of interests, lay not between large… ![“The real difference of interests, lay not between large and small, but between the Northern and Southern states. The institution of slavery and its consequences formed a line of discrimination.” quote by James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d18/james-madison-373_consequence_the-real-difference-of-interests-lay-not_1337175.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d18/james-madison-373_consequence_the-real-difference-of-interests-lay-not_1337175.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d18/james-madison-373_consequence_the-real-difference-of-interests-lay-not_1337175.png) > “The real difference of interests, lay not between large and small, but between the Northern and Southern states. The institution of slavery and its consequences formed a line of discrimination.” [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that differences between North and South stem from slavery, not size. **In simple terms:** Slavery created regional division. Key Takeaway Address underlying causes of division. Themes politics regionalism slavery history Mood analytical serious Type historical political When to use this quote - policy analysis - historical study - social justice Key Concepts institutional injustice geopolitical tension Questions to Reflect On - How does history shape current regional tensions? - What lessons apply to modern divisions? A Different Perspective Complex causes also include economics and culture. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Consequence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consequence/) [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Discrimination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discrimination/) [Institutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/institutions/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) ## Related quotes > [It was only with the rise of capitalism and the need for workers to be freer, more mobile, and prosperous, that societies were able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shellenberger/it-was-only-with-the-rise-of-capitalism-and-the-need-for-workers-to/) [Michael Shellenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shellenberger/) > [We believe that the spreading out and perpetuity of the institution of slavery impairs the general welfare. We believe - nay, we know, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/we-believe-that-the-spreading-out-and-perpetuity-of-the-institution/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Financial inequity for African Americans has been perpetuated by companies that are known to have benefited from the institution of slavery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-n-green/financial-inequity-for-african-americans-has-been-perpetuated-by/) [Al N. Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-n-green/) > [The inconsistency of the institution of domestic slavery with the principles of the Declaration of Independence was seen and lamented . . . no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/the-inconsistency-of-the-institution-of-domestic-slavery-with-the/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [“I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists. I believe I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-have-no-purpose-directly-or-indirectly-to-interfere-with-the/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [What has ever threatened our liberty and prosperity save and except this institution of Slavery?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/what-has-ever-threatened-our-liberty-and-prosperity-save-and-except/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Without the institution of slavery, civilization would never have been achieved, for no one could ever have done anything intellectual if he had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/without-the-institution-of-slavery-civilization-would-never-have-been/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [“The institution of slavery was, for a quarter millennium, the conversion of human beings into currency, into machines who existed solely for the profit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-wilkerson/the-institution-of-slavery-was-for-a-quarter-millennium-the/) [Isabel Wilkerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-wilkerson/) > [If we do not restore the Institution of Property we cannot escape restoring the Institution of Slavery; there is no third course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/if-we-do-not-restore-the-institution-of-property-we-cannot-escape/) [Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/) > [“Banning the institution of slavery itself long remained only a distant hope in much of Africa and the Middle East, even after it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/banning-the-institution-of-slavery-itself-long-remained-only-a/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [“I never will, I never can, worship a God who upholds the institution of slavery. Such a God I hate and defy. I neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-g-ingersoll/i-never-will-i-never-can-worship-a-god-who-upholds-the-institution-of/) [Robert G. Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/) > [I do but quote from one of those speeches when I declare that "I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-do-but-quote-from-one-of-those-speeches-when-i-declare-that-i-have/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We must look at the institution of slavery as publicists, and not as casuists. It is a question of law, and not a case…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-brooke-taney/we-must-look-at-the-institution-of-slavery-as-publicists-and-not-as/) Roger Brooke Taney > [“An economy that depends on slavery needs to promote images of slaves that “justify” the institution of slavery. The contemporary economy depends right now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/an-economy-that-depends-on-slavery-needs-to-promote-images-of-slaves/) [Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/) > [In the first place, I insist that our fathers did not make this nation half slave and half free, or part slave and part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/in-the-first-place-i-insist-that-our-fathers-did-not-make-this-nation/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) ## 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/) [Explore all 628 James Madison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) ## More Consequence quotes > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [The world's problems are, by and large, human problems-the unavoidable consequence of egoic sleepwalking. If we care to look, all the signs are present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/the-world-s-problems-are-by-and-large-human-problems-the-unavoidable/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [The prediction of nuclear winter is drawn not, of course, from any direct experience with the consequences of global nuclear war, but rather from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-prediction-of-nuclear-winter-is-drawn-not-of-course-from-any/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [It's easy to make mistakes. It's living with the consequences of them that's the hardest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/it-s-easy-to-make-mistakes-it-s-living-with-the-consequences-of-them/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Actions have consequences... first rule of life. And the second rule is this - you are the only one responsible for your own actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/actions-have-consequences-first-rule-of-life-and-the-second-rule-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The contempt for law and the contempt for the human consequences of lawbreaking go from the bottom to the top of American society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-contempt-for-law-and-the-contempt-for-the-human-consequences-of/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Cultivate the habit of thinking ahead, and of anticipating the necessary and immediate consequences of all your actions… Likewise in your pleasures, ask yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/cultivate-the-habit-of-thinking-ahead-and-of-anticipating-the/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [There is no silver bullet. There are always options and the options have consequences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/there-is-no-silver-bullet-there-are-always-options-and-the-options/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [“Each day I learn that every single action we take has its own consequence – for either good or bad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginny-dye/each-day-i-learn-that-every-single-action-we-take-has-its-own/) Ginny Dye > [Washington bureaucrats have classified the very air we exhale as a pollutant and have gone unchallenged in this incredible assertion. The logical consequence is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/washington-bureaucrats-have-classified-the-very-air-we-exhale-as-a/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [If you wish to be a lawyer, attach no consequence to the place you are in, or the person you are with; but get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/if-you-wish-to-be-a-lawyer-attach-no-consequence-to-the-place-you-are/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Any kind of restrictions put on free speech would have worse consequences than bullying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-starlight/any-kind-of-restrictions-put-on-free-speech-would-have-worse/) [Lady Starlight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-starlight/) > [So, I'm not the only one who believes that there is such a thing as "the law of gravity," and if it's a law,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-comfort/so-i-m-not-the-only-one-who-believes-that-there-is-such-a-thing-as/) [Ray Comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-comfort/) > [The average American expends more time becoming informed about choosing a car than choosing a candidate. But, then, the consequences of the former choice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/the-average-american-expends-more-time-becoming-informed-about/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) [Browse all 3,099 Consequence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consequence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The real difference of interests, lay not between large and small, but between the Northern and Southern states. The institution of slavery and its consequences formed a line of discrimination.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Madison" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-real-difference-of-interests-lay-not-between-large-and-small-but/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Consequence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-real-difference-of-interests-lay-not-between-large-and-small-but/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d18/james-madison-373_consequence_the-real-difference-of-interests-lay-not_1337175.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d18/james-madison-373_consequence_the-real-difference-of-interests-lay-not_1337175.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d18/james-madison-373_consequence_the-real-difference-of-interests-lay-not_1337175.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The real difference of interests, lay not between large and small, but between the Northern and Southern…” — James Madison", "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": "James Madison", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The real difference of interests, lay...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-real-difference-of-interests-lay-not-between-large-and-small-but/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-real-difference-of-interests-lay-not-between-large-and-small-but/#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 } } ] } ```