Alexander Hamilton Quotes

“How strangely are human affairs conducted, that so many excellent qualities could not ensure a more happy fate!”

Alexander Hamilton

“To cherish and stimulate the activity of the human mind, by multiplying the objects of enterprise, is not among the least considerable of the expedients, by which the wealth of a nation may be promoted.”

Alexander Hamilton

“The propriety of stimulating by rewards the invention and introduction of useful improvements, is admitted without difficulty.”

Alexander Hamilton

“A promise must never be broken.”

Alexander Hamilton

“The sacred rights of mankind are not to be rummaged for among old parchments or musty records. They are written, as with a sunbeam, in the whole volume of human nature, by the hand of the divinity itself.”

Alexander Hamilton

“There are seasons in every country when noise and impudence pass current for worth; and in popular commotions especially, the clamours of interested and factious men are often mistaken for patriotism.”

Alexander Hamilton

“Hard words are very rarely useful. Real firmness is good for anything; strut is good for nothing.”

Alexander Hamilton

“In politics, as in religion, it is equally absurd to aim at making proselytes by fire and sword. Heresies in either can rarely be cured by persecution.”

Alexander Hamilton

“Let us recollect that peace or war will not always be left to our option; that however moderate or unambitious we may be, we cannot count upon the moderation, or hope to extinguish the ambition of others.”

Alexander Hamilton

“Safety from external danger is the most powerful director of national conduct. Even the ardent love of liberty will, after a time, give way to its dictates.”

Alexander Hamilton

“The rights of neutrality will only be respected, when they are defended by an adequate power.”

Alexander Hamilton

“If they break this Union, they will break my heart.”

Alexander Hamilton

“Unless your government is respectable, foreigners will invade your rights; and to maintain tranquillity, it must be respectable.”

Alexander Hamilton

“Energy in the executive is a leading character in the definition of good government.”

Alexander Hamilton

“A feeble executive implies a feeble execution of the government.”

Alexander Hamilton

“The vigour of government is essential to the security of liberty.”

Alexander Hamilton

“The true test of a good government is its aptitude and tendency to produce a good administration.”

Alexander Hamilton

“Liberty can have nothing to fear from the judiciary alone.”

Alexander Hamilton

“The judiciary will always be the least dangerous to the political rights of the Constitution.”

Alexander Hamilton

“Of those men who have overturned the liberties of republics, the greatest number have begun their career by paying an obsequious court to the people; commencing demagogues, and ending tyrants.”

Alexander Hamilton

“Nothing is more common than for a free people, in times of heat and violence, to gratify momentary passions, by letting into the government principles and precedents which afterwards prove fatal to themselves.”

Alexander Hamilton

“The voice of the people has been said to be the voice of God; and, however generally this maxim has been quoted and believed, it is not true to fact.”

Alexander Hamilton

“There is, in the genius of the people of this country, a peculiar aptitude for mechanic improvements.”

Alexander Hamilton

“The mere separation of the occupation of the cultivator from that of the artificer has the effect of augmenting the productive powers of labour.”

Alexander Hamilton

“It has been observed that a pure democracy if it were practicable would be the most perfect government. Experience has proved that no position is more false than this.”

Alexander Hamilton