Talk:James Madison

From Wikiquote

Here's a little more context for the "money changers" quote. Dwinell's The Story of Our Money is apparently both the original source for the quote and where the confusion arose. On pages 70-71, there is a quote from Alexander Hamilton, followed by a note, then a couple more sentences:

“Among other material differences between a paper currency, issued by the mere authority of Government, and one issued by a bank, payable in coin (and that is not done), is this: That, in the first case (government issuance), there is no standard to which an appeal can be made, as to the quantity which will only satisfy, or which will surcharge the circulation: in the last (bank issuance of paper), that standard results from the demand.”

NOTE:—Weasel words; the demand does not refer to the demands of business and the peple but to the whims of private corporations. And that the government could have no standard of a nations currency needs is just so much bosh.
   Hamilton's whole monetary policy is based on unconstitutional grounds and unsound reasoning, and fraudulent statements. His policies were fought through the whole public career of Franklin, Jefferson, Madison, Randolph and many another truly great lover of Repulican Government.
   His policies have proved to be more destructive of our independent and democratic form of government than the old subjugation of the Colonies by Great Britain. The deliberations in Congress over Hamilton's Bank Bill, and the opinions of members of The Cabinet show the intensity of feeling between the private money interests and those supporting the Constitution. History records that the “money changers” have used every form of abuse, intrigue, deceit and violent means possible to maintain their control over governments by controlling the money and its issuance.

From Writings of Madison, previously quoted. Vol. 2, Page 14.

“The National Bank Bill was signed by President Washington Feb. 25th, 1791”

The note's language is clearly not 18th Century and it refers to Madison in the third person, so it is not a quote from Madison. The note can only be from Olive Cushing Dwinell. The reference to Writings of Madison is apparently just an editor's error since neither the words preceding or following are from that. The Writings of James Madison by Gaillard Hunt is available at the Internet Archive.

KHirsch 05:05, 24 December 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Authenticity?

It will be of little avail to the people that the laws are made by men of their own choice, if the laws be so voluminous that they cannot be read, or so incoherent that they cannot be understood; if they be repealed or revised before they are promulgated, or undergo such incessant changes that no man who knows what the law is today can guess what is will be tomorrow.” – James Madison, Federalist no. 62, February 27, 1788

If anybody can verify this quote, I think it deserves to be put in. 86.129.169.227 21:14, 26 December 2008 (UTC)