Friday, March 29, 2024
A Federalist 57 Website
D. R. ZUKERMAN, proprietor

Is America Still Committed to Liberty?

APRIL 4, 2010 --

This following excerpt from Federalist Paper No. 57, attributed to James Madison, would conclude:

not if the people let Congress exempt itself from the laws made obligatory on the people.

Please forward this excerpt to your elected
oficials and local media and invite them to comment.

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"I will add, as a fifth circumstance in the situation of the House of Representatives, restraining them from oppressive measures, that they can make no law which will not have its full operation on themselves and their friends, as well as on the great mass of the society. This has always been deemed one of the strongest bonds by which human policy can connect the rulers and the people together.

It creates between them that communion of interests and sympathy of sentiments, of which few governments have furnished examples; but without which every government degenerates into tyranny. If it be asked, what is to restrain the House of Representatives from making legal discriminations in favor of themselves and a particular class of the society? I answer: the genius of the whole system; the nature of just and constitutional laws; and above all, the vigilant and manly spirit which actuates the people of America, a spirit which nourishes freedom, and in return is nourished by it. If this spirit shall ever be so far debased as to tolerate a law not obligatory on the legislature, as well as on the people, the people will be prepared to tolerate any thing but liberty."