Alexander Hamilton was an American statesman, politician, legal scholar, military commander, lawyer, banker and economist. He was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He was a key figure in the ratification of the US constitution and a prolific writer in its defence. Timeless Alexander Hamilton’s most well-known quotes will broaden your views about life, humanity, the government, and many more.
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Most Famous Alexander Hamilton Quotes
There is a certain enthusiasm in liberty, that makes human nature rise above itself, in acts of bravery and heroism. Alexander Hamilton
Those who stand for nothing fall for everything. Alexander Hamilton
Real liberty is neither found in despotism or the extremes of democracy, but in moderate governments. Alexander Hamilton
Men give me credit for some genius. All the genius I have lies in this; when I have a subject in hand, I study it profoundly. Day and night it is before me. My mind becomes pervaded with it. Then the effort that I have made is what people are pleased to call the fruit of genius. It is the fruit of labor and thought. 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. The people are turbulent and changing, they seldom judge or determine right. Alexander Hamilton
Give all the power to the many, they will oppress the few. Give all the power to the few, they will oppress the many. Alexander Hamilton
A promise must never be broken. Alexander Hamilton
Even to observe neutrality you must have a strong government. Alexander Hamilton
The constitution shall never be construed to prevent the people of the United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms. Alexander Hamilton
The honor of a nation is its life. Alexander Hamilton
A well adjusted person is one who makes the same mistake twice without getting nervous. Alexander Hamilton
Learn to think continentally. Alexander Hamilton
The art of reading is to skip judiciously. Alexander Hamilton
Unless your government is respectable, foreigners will invade your rights; and to maintain tranquillity, it must be respectable even to observe neutrality, you must have a strong government. Alexander Hamilton
There are approximately 1,010,300 words in the English language, but I could never string enough words together to properly express how much I want to hit you with a chair. Alexander Hamilton
Why has government been instituted at all? Because the passions of men will not conform to the dictates of reason and justice, without constraint. Alexander Hamilton
A nation which can prefer disgrace to danger is prepared for a master, and deserves one. Alexander Hamilton
Nobody expects to trust his body overmuch after the age of fifty. Alexander Hamilton
I never expect a perfect work from an imperfect man. Alexander Hamilton
To all general purposes we have uniformly been one people, each individual citizen everywhere enjoying the same national rights, privileges, and protection. Alexander Hamilton
Why has government been instituted at all? Because the passions of man will not conform to the dictates of reason and justice without constraint. Alexander Hamilton
In the usual progress of things, the necessities of a nation in every stage of its existence will be found at least equal to its resources. Alexander Hamilton
There are seasons in every country when noise and impudence pass current for worth; and in popular commotions especially, the clamors of interested and factious men are often mistaken for patriotism. Alexander Hamilton
I never expect to see a perfect work from an imperfect man. 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 Divinity itself, and can never be erased or obscured by mortal power. Alexander Hamilton
The nation which can prefer disgrace to danger is prepared for a master and deserves one. 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. The violent destruction of life and property incident to war, the continual effort and alarm attendant on a state of continual danger, will compel nations the most attached to liberty to resort for repose and security to institutions which have a tendency to destroy their civil and political rights. To be more safe, they at length become willing to run the risk of being less free. 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; and can never be erased or obscured by mortal power. Alexander Hamilton
It has been frequently remarked, that it seems to have been reserved to the people of this country to decide, by their conduct and example, the important question, whether societies of men are really capable or not, of establishing good government from reflection and choice, or whether they are forever destined to depend, for their political constitutions, on accident and force. Alexander Hamilton
You should not have taken advantage of my sensibility to steal into my affections without my consent. Alexander Hamilton
Who talks most about freedom and equality? Is it not those who hold the bill of rights in one hand and a whip for affrighted slaves in the other? Alexander Hamilton
Power over a man’s subsistence is power over his will. Alexander Hamilton
I have thought it my duty to exhibit things as they are, not as they ought to be. Alexander Hamilton
There are seasons in every country when noise and impudence pass current for worth; and in popular commotions especially, the clamors of interested and factious men are often mistaken for patriotism. Alexander Hamilton
Hard words are very rarely useful. Real firmness is good for every thing. Strut is good for nothing. Alexander Hamilton
Why has government been instituted at all? Because the passions of man will not conform to the dictates of reason and justice without constraint. Alexander Hamilton
Men are reasoning rather than reasonable animals. Alexander Hamilton
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. Alexander Hamilton
A powerful, victorious ally is yet another name for master. Alexander Hamilton
Men are rather reasoning than reasonable animals, for the most part governed by the impulse of passion. Alexander Hamilton
The best we can hope for concerning the people at large is that they be properly armed. 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
For 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
Men often oppose a thing merely because they have had no agency in planning it, or because it may have been planned by those whom they dislike. Alexander Hamilton
When occasions present themselves in which the interests of the people are at variance with their inclinations, it is the duty of the persons whom they have appointed to be the guardians of those interests to withstand the temporary delusion in order to give them time and opportunity for more cool and sedate reflection. Instances might be cited in which a conduct of this kind has saved the people from very fatal consequences of their own mistakes, and has procured lasting monuments of their gratitude to the men who had courage and magnanimity enough to serve them at the peril of their displeasure. 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
If we must have an enemy at the head of government, let it be one whom we can oppose, and for whom we are not responsible. Alexander Hamilton
It is the advertiser who provides the paper for the subscriber. It is not to be disputed, that the publisher of a newspaper in this country, without a very exhaustive advertising support, would receive less reward for his labor than the humblest mechanic. Alexander Hamilton
The truth unquestionably is, that the only path to a subversion of the republican system of the Country is, by flattering the prejudices of the people, and exciting their jealousies and apprehensions, to throw affairs into confusion, and bring on civil commotion. Alexander Hamilton
I think the first duty of society is justice. Alexander Hamilton
It will be of little avail to the people, that the laws are made by men of their own choice, if the laws be so voluminous that they cannot be read, or so incoherent that they cannot be understood. Alexander Hamilton
It’s not tyranny we desire; it’s a just, limited, federal government. Alexander Hamilton
Vigor of government is essential to the security of liberty. Alexander Hamilton
When the sword is once drawn, the passions of men observe no bounds of moderation. Alexander Hamilton
The republican principle demands that the deliberate sense of the community should govern the conduct of those to whom they intrust the management of their affairs; but it does not require an unqualified complaisance to every sudden breeze of passion or to every transient impulse which the people may receive from the arts of men, who flatter their prejudices to betray their interests. Alexander Hamilton
A well adjusted person is one who makes the same mistake twice without getting nervous. Alexander Hamilton
Here, sir, the people govern; here they act by their immediate representatives. Alexander Hamilton
A national debt, if it is not excessive, will be to us a national blessing. Alexander Hamilton
The inquiry constantly is what will please, not what will benefit the people. In such a government there can be nothing but temporary expedient, fickleness, and folly. Alexander Hamilton
Real firmness is good for anything; strut is good for nothing. 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
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
If the federal government should overpass the just bounds of its authority and make a tyrannical use of its powers, the people, whose creature it is, must appeal to the standard they have formed, and take such measures to redress the injury done to the Constitution as the exigency may suggest and prudence justify. Alexander Hamilton
In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place, oblige it to control itself. Alexander Hamilton
To all general purposes we have uniformly been one people each individual citizen everywhere enjoying the same national rights, privileges, and protection. Alexander Hamilton
In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place, oblige it to control itself. Alexander Hamilton
When avarice takes the lead in a state, it is commonly the forerunner of its fall. Alexander Hamilton
The inquiry constantly is what will please, not what will benefit the people. In such a government there can be nothing but temporary expedient, fickleness, and folly. Alexander Hamilton
And a further reason for caution, in this respect, might be drawn from the reflection that we are not always sure that those who advocate the truth are influenced by purer principles than their antagonists. Ambition, avarice, personal animosity, party opposition, and many other motives not more laudable than these, are apt to operate as well upon those who support as those who oppose the right side of a question. Were there not even these inducements to moderation, nothing could be more ill judged than that intolerant spirit which has, at all times, characterized political parties. For 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
Here, sir, the people govern; here they act by their immediate representatives. Alexander Hamilton
Have we not already seen enough of the fallacy and extravagance of those idle theories which have amused us with promises of an exemption from the imperfections, weaknesses and evils incident to society in every shape? 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; and can never be erased. Alexander Hamilton
