The essence of Government is power; and power, lodged as it must be in human hands, will ever be liable to abuse.---James Madison.
Where an excess of power prevails, property of no sort is duly respected. No man is safe in his opinions, his person, his faculties, or his possessions.---Madison, again.
When people say 'let's do something about it', they mean 'let's get hold of the political machinery so that we can do something to somebody else.' And that somebody is invariably you.---Frank Chodorov.
The people as a body cannot deliberate. Nevertheless, they will feel an irresistible impulse to act, and their resolutions will be dictated to them by their demagogues... and the violent men, who are the most forward to gratify those passions, will be their favorites.---Fisher Ames.
There is nothing more fearful than ignorance in action.---Goethe.
Whenever a man has cast a longing eye on offices, a rottenness begins in his conduct.---Thomas Jefferson.