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Quote#Politics & Power

But besides the danger of a direct mixture of Religion & civil…

Quote byJames Madison · 1751–1836

Commonly attributed — not confirmed in an authoritative edition. Cited on Wikiquote to: Monopolies, Perpetuities, Corporations, Ecclesiastical Endowments (also known as Detached Memoranda) (ca. 1817).

English (original)

But besides the danger of a direct mixture of Religion & civil Government, there is an evil which ought to be guarded agst in the indefinite accumulation of property from the capacity of holding it in perpetuity by ecclesiastical corporations. The power of all corporations, ought to be limited in this respect. The growing wealth acquired by them never fails to be a source of abuses.

— James Madison

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