Edmund Burke: “Hastings's conduct might have convinced me of the existence of arbitrary power, and have taught me much of its mischief.”

All your sophisters cannot produce anything better adapted to preserve a rational and manly freedom than the course that we have pursued, who have chosen our nature rather than our speculations, our breasts rather than our inventions, for…

By adhering in this manner and on those principles to our forefathers, we are guided, not by the superstition of antiquarians, but by the spirit of philosophic analogy.

They have little regard to the obvious consequences of their doctrine, though they may see that it leaves positive authority in very few of the positive institutions of this country.

The engagement and pact of society, which generally goes by the name of the Constitution, forbids such invasion and such surrender.