Fisher Ames

Why then, if these books for children must be retained, as they will be, should not the bible regain the place it once held as a school book ? Its morals are pure, its examples captivating and noble. The reverence for the sacred book, that …

The rights of conscience, of bearing arms, of changing the government, are declared to be inherent in the people. Freedom of the press, too.

Liberty has never yet lasted long in a democracy; nor has it ever ended in any thing better than despotism.

The known propensity of a democracy is to licentiousness, which the ambitious call, and the ignorant believe to be, liberty.

The gentleman puts me in mind of an old hen which persists in setting after her eggs are taken away.

[The framers of the Constitution] “intended our government should be a republic, which differs more widely from a democracy than a democracy from a despotism.”

I consider biennial elections as a security that the sober, second thought of the people shall be law.

The House is composed of very good men, not shining, but honest and reasonably well-informed, and in time they will be found to improve, and not to be much inferior in eloquence, science, and dignity, to the British Commons. They are …