Quote #6

That men ought to be governed, seems to have been agreed on all hands: the reason is, that, without government, they could never attain any high or permanent share of perfection or happiness. But the question has been ? by whom should they be governed? And this has been made a question, by reason of two others ? by whom can they be governed? ? are they capable of governing themselves?

More from James Wilson

  1. Every juror swears that he will give a true verdict according to his evidence. The sacred obligation of this oath demands, that to unanimit…
  2. With regard, says Rousseau, to the prerogative of granting pardon to criminals, condemned by the laws of their country, and sentenced by th…
  3. By a State I mean, a complete body of free persons united together for their common benefit, to enjoy peaceably what is their own, and to d…
  4. The executive power is better to be trusted when it has no screen. Sir, we have a responsibility in the person of our President; he cannot …
  5. Let a state be considered as subordinate to the people: But let everything else be subordinate to the state.
  6. Man, fearfully and wonderfully made, is the workmanship of his all perfect Creator: A State; useful and valuable as the contrivance is, is …
  7. To the Constitution of the United States the term SOVEREIGN, is totally unknown.

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