Top George Mason Quotes - Quotesmemo.com

George Mason Biography

George Mason (sometimes referred to as George Mason IV; December 11, 1725 [O.S. November 30, 1725] – October 7, 1792) was a Virginia planter and politician, and a delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention of 1787, one of three delegates, together with fellow Virginian Edmund Randolph and Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts, who refused to sign the constitution. His writings have been a significant influence on political thought and events, including substantial portions of the Fairfax Resolves of 1774, the Virginia Declaration of Rights of 1776, and his Objections to this Constitution of Government (1787) in opposition to ratification of the constitution. The Virginia Declaration of Rights, which Mason principally authored, served as a basis for the United States Bill of Rights, of which he has been deemed the father.

Read about George Mason in Wikipedia

Random Authors

George Mason Quotes

This cold weather has set all the young Folks to providing Bedfellows. I have signed two or three Licences every Day [as a Fairfax Justice of the Peace] since I have been at Home. I wish I knew where to get a good one myself; for I find cold Sheets extreamly disagreeable.

Cold, Extreamly, Home, Justice, Two, Weather

The epithets of parent and child have been long applied to Great Britain and her colonies, [but] we rarely see anything from your side of the water except the authoritative style of a master to a school-boy.

Boys, Children, Master, Rarely, School, Water

In all our associations; in all our agreements let us never lose sight of this fundamental maxim - that all power was originally lodged in, and consequently is derived from, the people.

Agreement, Fundamental, Let, Lose, People, Sight

To disarm the people is the best and most effectual Way to enslave them.

Disarm, Effectual, Enslave, Gun, Peace, Strength

That in controversies respecting property, and in suits between man and man, the ancient trial by jury is preferable to any other, and ought to be held sacred.

Controversies, Jury, Men, Preferable, Sacred, Trials

That all power of suspending laws, or the execution of laws, by any authority, without consent of the representatives of the people, is injurious to their rights, and ought not to be exercised.

Consent, Law, People, Rights, Suspending

No free government, or the blessings of liberty, can be preserved to any people, but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality and virtue.

Blessing, Firm, Freedom, Government, Moderation, Virtue

I retired from public Business from a thorough Conviction that it was not in my Power to do any Good, and very much disgusted with Measures, which appeared to me inconsistent with common Policy and Justice.

Common, Conviction, Justice, Measures

Government is, or ought to be, instituted for the common benefit and security of the people, nation or community; whenever any government shall be found inadequate or contrary to these purposes, a majority of the community hath an indubitable, unalienable, indefeasible right, to reform, alter, or abolish it, in such manner as shall be judged most conducive to the public Weal.

Community, Government, Manner, People, Right, Whenever

Is it to be expected that the Southern States will deliver themselves bound hand and foot to the Eastern States? A few rich merchants in Philadelphia, Boston, and New York could thereby monopolise the staples of the Southern States and reduce their value.

New York, Philadelphia, Reduce, Southern, Thereby, War

The [President's] Nomination, of Course, brings the Subject fully under the Consideration of the Senate; who have then a Right to decide upon its Propriety or Impropriety.

Consideration, Decide Upon, Fully, Nominations, President, Senate

The question then will be, whether a consolidated government can preserve the freedom and secure the rights of the people.

Government, People, Preserve, Rights

All men are created equally free and independent, and have certain inherent rights, of which they cannot, by any compact, deprive or divest their posterity; among which are the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property, and pursuing the obtaining of happiness and safety.

Equality, Happiness, Independent, Life, Mean, Safety

We owe to our Mother-Country the Duty of Subjects but will not pay her the Submission of Slaves.

Country, Duty, Mother, Owe, Pay, Slaves

No point is of more importance than that the right of impeachment should be continued. Shall any man be above Justice?

Continued, Justice, Man, Men, Point, Should

Nothing so strongly impels a man to regard the interest of his constituents, as the certainty of returning to the general mass of the people, from whence he was taken, where he must participate in their burdens.

Constituents, General, Men, People, Taken

Considering the natural lust for power so inherent in man, I fear the thirst of power will prevail to oppress the people.

Man, Men, Natural, People, Thirst, Wisdom

That elections of members to serve as representatives of the people, in assembly, ought to be free; and that all men, having sufficient evidence of permanent common interest with, and attachment to, the community, have the right of suffrage, and cannot be taxed or deprived of their property for public uses, without their own consent, or that of their representives so elected, nor bound by any law to which they have not, in like manner, assembled, for the public good.

Good, Law, Manner, Men, People, Public

Taught to regard a part of our own Species in the most abject and contemptible Degree below us, we lose that Idea of the dignity of Man which the Hand of Nature had implanted in us, for great and useful purposes.

Degree, Hands, Ideas, Man, Men, Species

We came equals into this world, and equals shall we go out of it.

Came, Civil Rights, Equals, This World, World

1