"A people, entering into society, surrender such a part of their natural rights, as shall be necessary for the existence of that society. They are so precious in themselves, that they would never be parted with, did not the preservation of the remainder require it. They are entrusted in the hands of those, who are very willing to receive them, who are naturally fond of exercising of them, and whose passions are always striving to make a bad use of them. They are conveyed by a written compact, expressing those which are given up, and the mode in which those reserved shall be secured."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
On the need for a Bill of Rights, Antifederalist PapersJohn DeWitt II[http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/index.asp?document=1684 (1787)
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/John_DeWitt
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
John DeWitt
John DeWitt was the pseudonym used in the authoring of several key published during the ratification process of the .
3 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by John DeWitt →
Related Quotes
"It is asserted by the most respectable writers upon Government, that a well regulated militia, composed of the yeoman…"
"No free government under Heaven, with a well disciplined militia was ever yet subdued by mercenary troups."
"It is said that a hundred gamecocks will live in perfect harmony together it you do not put a hen with them; and so i…"
"He was a horse of goodly countenance, rather expressive of vigilance than fire; though an unnatural appearance of fie…"
"Language cannot describe the scene that followed; the shouts, oaths, frantic gestures, taunts, replies, and little fi…"
"All the knowing ones were consulted as to the issue, and they all agreed, to a man, in one of two opinions: either th…"
"In the younger days of the Republic there lived in the county of —— two men, who were admitted on all hands to be the…"
"One scarcely knows to whom to complain."
"I used to maintain that if it couldn't be put into words it didn't exist; if anything I believe rather the opposite now."
"I think style chooses you... if I could choose, I would write like Jane Austen and I would draw like Rembrandt."