Charles de Gaulle Quotes

Constitutions should consist only of general provisions; the reason is that they must necessarily be permanent, and that they cannot calculate for the possible change of things.

The American Constitution has changed, is changing, and by the law of its very existence must continue to change, in its substance and practical working even its words remain the same.

This [nullification] is a normal and traditional American method of circumventing the inflexibility of the Constitution. When the Constitution has come into conflict with the living needs of the nation, and when amendment was impossible, the method of changing the Constitution has been to change it and then get the very human Supreme Court to sanction it.

The example of changing a constitution by assembling the wise men of the State instead of assembling armies will be worth as much to the world as the former examples we had given them

The problem in any constitutional change is the great care put to solve the problems of the past instead of grasping those of the future.

The Constitution is a document that should only be amended with great caution.

A changeless constitution becomes the protector not only of vested rights but of vested wrongs.

Our fundamental instrument of government [the Constitution] is an evolving document.

Constitutional reform is exasperatingly slow.

The functionaries of public power rarely strengthen in their dispositions to abridge it, and an unorganized call for timely amendment is not likely to prevail against an organized opposition to it

Happy for us that when we find our constitutions defective and insufficient to secure the happiness of our people, we can assemble with all the coolness of philosophers and set it to rights, while every other nation on earth must have recourse to arms to amend or to restore their constitutions

The wise fathers did not treat the country as a Chinese foot, never to grow after infancy; but, anticipating Progress, they declared expressly that their great Act is not final. According to the Constitution itself, there is not one of its existing provisions — not even that with regard to fugitives from labor — which may not at all times be reached by amendment, and thus be drawn into debate. This is rational and just. Sir, nothing from man's hands, nor law, nor constitution, can be final. Truth alone is final.

Is there a man who will say that the Constitution wants no reform? Will any man be found to say that the Constitution is perfect?

The Constitution of the United States allows us to change; I don't have a problem with that.

To insert essential principles only, lest the operation of government should be clogged by rendering those provisions permanent and unalterable which ought to be accommodated to times and events.

We seem to grant less than half a dozen folks in black robes across the street, the right to amend [the Constitution] any time they change their mind.

The path to an amendment to the Constitution is a thorny one.

I deny that the power of amendment [of the Constitution] carries the power of revolution.

… to rectify the errors that will creep in through lapse of time, or alteration of situation.

Frequent appeals to the people [to amend the Constitution] would in great measure deprive the government of that veneration which time bestows on everything.

If we can make the Constitution better in the opinion of those who are opposed to it, without weakening its frame, or abridging its usefulness, in the judgment of those who are attached to it, we act the part of wise and liberal men.

It is a further boast that a regular mode of making proper alterations has been providently inserted into the Constitution itself.

We must never forget that it is a constitution we are expounding ... a constitution intended to endure for ages to come, and consequently, to be adopted to the various crises of human affairs.

No amendment of the proper kind would ever be obtained by the people, if the government should become oppressive, which I verily believe will be the case.

[There] is an easy and peaceable way of amending any parts of the Constitution which may be found inconvenient in practice.