--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: on every occasion as at first, when their…" description: "\"“on every occasion as at first, when their number was small, their habitations near, and the public concerns few and trifling. This will point out the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/842/thomas-paine-267_legislative_on-every-occasion-as-at-first-when-their_1953404.png" --- # on every occasion as at first, when their number was… ![“on every occasion as at first, when their number was small, their habitations near, and the public concerns few and trifling. This will point out the convenience of their consenting to leave the legislative part to be managed by a select number chosen from the whole body, who are supposed to have…” quote by Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/842/thomas-paine-267_legislative_on-every-occasion-as-at-first-when-their_1953404.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/842/thomas-paine-267_legislative_on-every-occasion-as-at-first-when-their_1953404.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/842/thomas-paine-267_legislative_on-every-occasion-as-at-first-when-their_1953404.png) > ““on every occasion as at first, when their number was small, their habitations near, and the public concerns few and trifling. This will point out the convenience of their consenting to leave the legislative part to be managed by a select number chosen from the whole body, who are supposed to have the same concerns at stake which those have who appointed them, and who will act in the same manner as”” [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Small groups should delegate legislative duties to a representative minority to manage public concerns efficiently. **In simple terms:** Let representatives handle legislation for the many. Key Takeaway Support representative governance for efficient decision‑making. Themes government representation efficiency Mood analytical critical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - local councils - national legislatures - community meetings Key Concepts political theory democracy Questions to Reflect On - Who truly represents your interests? - How can accountability be ensured? A Different Perspective Representative bodies may become detached from the populace. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Appointed Act](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appointed-act-3183648/) [Concerns Trifling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concerns-trifling-3183649/) [Convenience Consenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convenience-consenting-3183646/) [Leave Legislative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leave-legislative-3183647/) [Legislative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legislative/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [And in terms of their crown jewel legislative achievement: who knew that when asked, 'will government impose a new federal mandate requiring middle class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artur-davis/and-in-terms-of-their-crown-jewel-legislative-achievement-who-knew/) [Artur Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artur-davis/) > [Border security is a complex issue and will remain a top priority during the 2007 legislative year. As Congress works to fix this problem,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-neugebauer/border-security-is-a-complex-issue-and-will-remain-a-top-priority/) [Randy Neugebauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-neugebauer/) > [Legislative language is governed by a law of etymology that is also the ancient code of the bureaucracy: It doesn't have to be right,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/legislative-language-is-governed-by-a-law-of-etymology-that-is-also/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [There's a lot of bipartisan rancor, a lot of excessive delegation of legislative power from the legislative branch to the executive branch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-lee/there-s-a-lot-of-bipartisan-rancor-a-lot-of-excessive-delegation-of/) [Mike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-lee/) > [I've been in the legislative branch and now the executive branch and in each case I felt it was important we use our constitutional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/i-ve-been-in-the-legislative-branch-and-now-the-executive-branch-and/) [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) > [I am one who believes that the people's views and values are represented by those who they elect in the legislative branch and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-allen/i-am-one-who-believes-that-the-people-s-views-and-values-are/) [George Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-allen/) > [I can only say that there is not a man living who wishes more sincerely than I do, to see a plan adopted for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/i-can-only-say-that-there-is-not-a-man-living-who-wishes-more/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [Nothing in the 14th Amendment or in any other constitutional provision suggests that the president may usurp legislative power to prevent a violation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-tribe/nothing-in-the-14th-amendment-or-in-any-other-constitutional/) [Laurence Tribe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-tribe/) > [A World Parliamentary Assembly functioning outside the United Nations, or a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly set up as a subsidiary body of the General…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-maurice-de-zayas/a-world-parliamentary-assembly-functioning-outside-the-united-nations/) [Alfred-Maurice de Zayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-maurice-de-zayas/) > [The idea of restraining the legislative authority, in the means of providing for the national defense, is one of those refinements which owe their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/the-idea-of-restraining-the-legislative-authority-in-the-means-of/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [I have a duty to protect the Executive Branch from legislative encroachment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-have-a-duty-to-protect-the-executive-branch-from-legislative/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [ It is one thing to be subordinate to the laws, and another \[for the Executive\] to be dependent on the legislative body. The first… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/it-is-one-thing-to-be-subordinate-to-the-laws-and-another-for-the/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [Others will have opinions on how I do and that's just fine... I've been elected four times, delivered results for my constituents and delivered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-poilievre/others-will-have-opinions-on-how-i-do-and-that-s-just-fine-i-ve-been/) [Pierre Poilievre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-poilievre/) > [I am specifically concerned about the idea that the legislative process is one that gets characterized the way it is as the 'fiscal cliff.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-blankfein/i-am-specifically-concerned-about-the-idea-that-the-legislative/) [Lloyd Blankfein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-blankfein/) ## More by Thomas Paine > [“No man is prejudiced in favour of a thing, knowing it to be wrong. He is attached to it on the belief of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/no-man-is-prejudiced-in-favour-of-a-thing-knowing-it-to-be-wrong-he/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [“The laws of every country must be analogous to some common principle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-laws-of-every-country-must-be-analogous-to-some-common-principle/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [The book called the Bible has been voted by men, and decreed by human laws to be the word of God; and the disbelief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-book-called-the-bible-has-been-voted-by-men-and-decreed-by-human/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/to-argue-with-a-person-who-has-renounced-the-use-of-reason-is-like/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [One would think that a system loaded with such gross and vulgar absurdities as Scripture religion is could never have obtained credit; yet we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/one-would-think-that-a-system-loaded-with-such-gross-and-vulgar/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Commerce diminishes the spirit, both of patriotism and military defence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/commerce-diminishes-the-spirit-both-of-patriotism-and-military-defence/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [What is it the Bible teaches us? - raping, cruelty, and murder. What is it the New Testament teaches us? - to believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/what-is-it-the-bible-teaches-us-raping-cruelty-and-murder-what-is-it/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/those-who-expect-to-reap-the-blessings-of-freedom-must-like-men/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [“It has been the practice of all Christian commentators on the Bible, and of all Christian priests and preachers, to impose the Bible on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/it-has-been-the-practice-of-all-christian-commentators-on-the-bible/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [But there are times when men have serious thoughts, and it is at such times, when they begin to think, that they begin to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/but-there-are-times-when-men-have-serious-thoughts-and-it-is-at-such/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Wisdom is not the purchase of a day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/wisdom-is-not-the-purchase-of-a-day/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Our citizenship in the United States is our national character. Our citizenship in any particular state is only our local distinction. By the latter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/our-citizenship-in-the-united-states-is-our-national-character-our/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Suspicion is the companion of mean souls, and the bane of all good society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/suspicion-is-the-companion-of-mean-souls-and-the-bane-of-all-good/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [“To pass from the extremes of danger to safety-from the tumult of war to the tranquility of peace, though sweet in contemplation, requires a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/to-pass-from-the-extremes-of-danger-to-safety-from-the-tumult-of-war/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [What more does man want to know than that the hand or power that made these things is divine, is omnipotent? Let him believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/what-more-does-man-want-to-know-than-that-the-hand-or-power-that-made/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) [Explore all 772 Thomas Paine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) ## More Legislative quotes > [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/) > [Others will have opinions on how I do and that's just fine... I've been elected four times, delivered results for my constituents and delivered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-poilievre/others-will-have-opinions-on-how-i-do-and-that-s-just-fine-i-ve-been/) [Pierre Poilievre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-poilievre/) > [ It is one thing to be subordinate to the laws, and another \[for the Executive\] to be dependent on the legislative body. The first… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/it-is-one-thing-to-be-subordinate-to-the-laws-and-another-for-the/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [I have a duty to protect the Executive Branch from legislative encroachment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-have-a-duty-to-protect-the-executive-branch-from-legislative/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [The idea of restraining the legislative authority, in the means of providing for the national defense, is one of those refinements which owe their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/the-idea-of-restraining-the-legislative-authority-in-the-means-of/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [A World Parliamentary Assembly functioning outside the United Nations, or a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly set up as a subsidiary body of the General…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-maurice-de-zayas/a-world-parliamentary-assembly-functioning-outside-the-united-nations/) [Alfred-Maurice de Zayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-maurice-de-zayas/) > [Nothing in the 14th Amendment or in any other constitutional provision suggests that the president may usurp legislative power to prevent a violation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-tribe/nothing-in-the-14th-amendment-or-in-any-other-constitutional/) [Laurence Tribe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-tribe/) > [I can only say that there is not a man living who wishes more sincerely than I do, to see a plan adopted for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/i-can-only-say-that-there-is-not-a-man-living-who-wishes-more/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [I am one who believes that the people's views and values are represented by those who they elect in the legislative branch and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-allen/i-am-one-who-believes-that-the-people-s-views-and-values-are/) [George Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-allen/) > [I've been in the legislative branch and now the executive branch and in each case I felt it was important we use our constitutional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/i-ve-been-in-the-legislative-branch-and-now-the-executive-branch-and/) [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) > [There's a lot of bipartisan rancor, a lot of excessive delegation of legislative power from the legislative branch to the executive branch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-lee/there-s-a-lot-of-bipartisan-rancor-a-lot-of-excessive-delegation-of/) [Mike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-lee/) > [Legislative language is governed by a law of etymology that is also the ancient code of the bureaucracy: It doesn't have to be right,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/legislative-language-is-governed-by-a-law-of-etymology-that-is-also/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [Border security is a complex issue and will remain a top priority during the 2007 legislative year. As Congress works to fix this problem,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-neugebauer/border-security-is-a-complex-issue-and-will-remain-a-top-priority/) [Randy Neugebauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-neugebauer/) > [And in terms of their crown jewel legislative achievement: who knew that when asked, 'will government impose a new federal mandate requiring middle class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artur-davis/and-in-terms-of-their-crown-jewel-legislative-achievement-who-knew/) [Artur Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artur-davis/) > [I am specifically concerned about the idea that the legislative process is one that gets characterized the way it is as the 'fiscal cliff.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-blankfein/i-am-specifically-concerned-about-the-idea-that-the-legislative/) [Lloyd Blankfein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-blankfein/) [Browse all 138 Legislative quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legislative/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“on every occasion as at first, when their number was small, their habitations near, and the public concerns few and trifling. 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