Representative Government

Front Cover
H. Holt, 1924 - 318 pages
 

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Page 139 - ... whether societies of men are really capable or not of establishing good government from reflection and choice, or whether they are forever destined to depend, for their political constitutions, on accident and force.
Page 235 - It often becomes impossible, amidst mutual accusations, to determine on whom the blame or the punishment of a pernicious measure, or series of pernicious measures, ought really to fall. It is shifted from one to another with so much dexterity, and under such plausible appearances, that the public opinion is left in suspense about the real author.
Page 116 - This power over the purse may, in fact, be regarded as the most complete and effectual weapon, with which any Constitution can arm the immediate representatives of the people, for obtaining a redress of every grievance, and for carrying into effect every just and salutary measure.
Page 139 - ... degree determined by their personal position than by reason, no little power is exercised over them by the persuasions and convictions of those whose personal position is different, and by the united authority of the instructed. When, therefore, the instructed in general can be brought to recognise one social arrangement, or political or other institution, as good, and another as bad, one as desirable, another as condemnable, very much has been done towards giving to the one, or withdrawing from...
Page 16 - Things vulgar, and, well weigh'd, scarce worth the praise ? They praise, and they admire, they know not what, And know not whom, but as one leads the other ; And what delight to be by such...
Page 307 - Congress shall appropriate no money from the Treasury except by a vote of two-thirds of both Houses, taken by yeas and nays, unless it be asked and estimated for by some one of the heads of departments and submitted to Congress by the President...
Page 133 - What proposition is there respecting human nature which y is absolutely and universally true ? We know of only one : and that is not only true, but identical ; that men always act from self-interest.
Page 177 - Instead of the function of governing, for which it is radically unfit, the proper office of a representative assembly is to watch and control the government : to throw the light of publicity on its acts ; to compel a full exposition and justification of all of them which any one considers questionable ; to censure them if found condemnable, and, if the men who compose the government abuse their trust, or fulfil it in a manner which conflicts with the deliberate sense of the nation, to expel them...
Page 19 - This power to act according to discretion for the public good, without the prescription of the law and sometimes even against it...
Page 68 - The object of all the races who broke up the Roman empire was not to settle in a desert, but to live at ease, as an aristocracy of soldiers, drawing rent from a peaceful population of tenants. Moreover, coming in small and narrow skiffs, the conquerors could not bring their families with them, and must in most cases have taken wives from the women of the country.

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