Albert Beveridge

A majority of the people were against the Constitution, he said, and even "the adopting states have already heart-burnings and animosity and repent their precipitate hurry....

The real point was whether the Constitution would be a good thing or a bad thing for the country.

I will not enumerate the causes from which, in my conception, the heart-burnings of a majority of its opposers have originated." His argument was unanswerable as a matter of pure reason and large statesmanship, but it made little headway…

Age and middle age had spoken for the Constitution; voices from the bench and the camp, from the bar and the seats of the mighty, had pleaded for it; and now the Constitutionalists appealed to the very young men of the Convention through…

It is impiously irritating the avenging hand of Heaven ... to desert those maxims which alone can preserve liberty," he thundered.

There was no danger, then, that Virginia would be left out of the Union, as the Constitutionalists had hinted might happen if Virginia rejected the Constitution; the other States would be glad to have her on her own terms.

How can the first magistrate and father of a pure republican government ... before his proposed plan of amendment has been determined upon, declare that he will accept a Constitution which is to beget a monarchy or an aristocracy?...

The Senate would be controlled by those same Northern States that had nearly succeeded in surrendering the great waterway and the West and South would surely be deprived of that invaluable commercial outlet.

How are our debts to be discharged unless taxes are increased?" asked he; and demonstrated that under the Constitution taxes surely would be made heavier.

Time and again he warned the Convention against the loss of liberty: "When the deprivation of our liberty was attempted, what did ... the genius of Virginia tell us? 'Sell all and purchase liberty!'...

No mischief, no misfortune, ought to deter us from a strict observance of justice and public faith," cried Marshall.

The possibility of its being abused is urged as an argument against its expediency"; but, said Marshall, such arguments would prevent all government and result in anarchy.

Until mankind shall cease to have ambition and avarice, wars will arise.

If we be prepared to defend ourselves, there will be little inducement to attack us.

But if we defer giving the necessary power to the general government till the moment of danger arrives, we shall give it then, and with an unsparing hand.

There was no danger that Congress, under the Constitution, would not lay taxes justly, asserted Marshall; for if members of Congress laid unjust taxes, the people would not reëlect them.

The statement of the Anti-Constitutionalists that the extent of the country was too great for a strong National Government was untrue, argued Marshall.

The interest of the community is blended and inseparably connected with that of the individual.

We are threatened with the loss of our liberties by the possible abuse of power, notwithstanding the maxim that those who give may take away.

It is the people that give power, and can take it back.

What has happened since this to alter his opinion?" Of course, the Confederation was defective and reform needed; but the Constitution was no reform.

Once he remarked, loud enough to be heard by the other members whom he set roaring with laughter, that he was not surprised that men who were about to vote away the liberties of a living people should take such liberties with a dead…

Henry is most warm and powerful in Declamation being perfectly Master of 'Action Utterrance and Power of Speech to stir Men's Blood' yet the Weight of Argument is so strong on the Side of Truth as wholly to destroy even on weak Minds the…

My Religion steps in where my Understanding falters and I feel Faith as I loose Confidence.

Our children see this and learn to imitate it....