John C. Calhoun Quotes

If the country is to survive as a democracy it will depend on voters who understand how our political institutions have evolved and the events that went into their creation. A nation's sense of its history is indistinguishable from its social cohesion.

The wisdom and discretion of Congress ... are the restraints on which the people must often rely solely, in all representative governments

Let us never forget that government is ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a President and senators and congressmen and government officials, but the voters of this country.

I've been reading this little book. It's called the Russian constitution. And it says that the only source of power in Russia is the people. So I don't want to hear those who say we're appealing to the authorities. Who's the power here?

I contend that the strongest of all governments is that which is most free.

We are a nation of laws with respect and recognition of the rule of law. We are not an imperialist government with a monarch abiding by the rule of one man.

All the forms of civil polity have been tried by mankind, except one, and that seems to have been reserved in Providence to be realized in America.

In history, the millions win; that is democracy.

Fashion is not just about trends. It's about political history. You can trace it from the ancient Romans to probably until the '80s, and you can see defining moments that were due either to revolutions or changes in politics.

No power on earth is greater than a mind and soul reawakened. Our Constitution begins 'we the people', not 'us the government'.

Upon you, fellow-citizens, as the representatives of the States and the people, is wisely devolved the legislative power.

America was founded on majority rule, not supermajority rule. Somehow, over the years, this has morphed into supermajority rule, and that changes things.

When Jefferson and the Republicans rallied to the Union and to the existing Federalist organization, the fabric of traditional American democracy was almost completely woven.

A good government may, indeed, redress the grievances of an injured people; but a strong people can alone build up a great nation.

Public officers are the servants and agents of the people, to execute the laws which the people have made.

We've got in the habit of not really understanding how freedom was in the 19th century, the idea of government of the people in the 19th century. America commits itself to that in theory.

I have sworn to the nation to govern it under a constitutional system. But if, through the vices of its organization or the passions of its agents, it wants to convert itself into an instrument of anarchy, the nation itself in use of its sovereign rights will give a new representation, and I will be the first to invoke it.

If there is one certain truth to be collected from the history of all ages, it is this: that the people's rights and liberties, and the democratic mixture in a constitution, can never be preserved without a strong executive, or, in other words without separating the executive power from the legislature.

One cannot wishfully expect automatic evolution to democracy.

It is the healthiest thing in a democracy when the people who are elected exert power.

The notion that a person's constitutional rights may be subject to a majority vote is itself anathema.

History does not furnish a single instance of a government once established, voluntarily yielding up its powers to secure the rights and liberties of the people.

Neither current events nor history shows that the majority rules, or ever did rule.

A small acquaintance with history shows that all governments are selfish and the French governments more selfish than most.

History is past politics, and politics present history.