James Madison 4..

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 Knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own governors,  must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives.  A popular government without popular information or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy or perhaps both

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If tyranny and oppression ever come to this land it will be under the guise of fighting a foreign enemy.

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  Americans have the right and advantage of being armed - unlike the citizens of other countries whose governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.

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The purpose of separation of church and state is to keep forever from these shores the ceaseless strife that has soaked the soil of Europe with blood for centuries.

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If men were angels, no government would be necessary.

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Liberty may be endangered by the abuse of liberty, but also by the abuse of power.

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In Republics, the great danger is, that the majority may not sufficiently respect the rights of the minority.

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Whenever a youth is ascertained to possess talents meriting an education which his parents cannot afford, he should be carried forward at the public expense.

James Madison