"The fundamental source of all your errors, sophisms, and false reasonings, is a total ignorance of the natural rights of mankind. Were you once to become acquainted with these, you could never entertain a thought, that all men are not, by nature, entitled to a parity of privileges. You would be convinced, that natural liberty is a gift of the beneficent Creator, to the whole human race; and that civil liberty is founded in that; and cannot be wrested from any people, without the most manifest violation of justice. Civil liberty is only natural liberty, modified and secured by the sanctions of civil society. It is not a thing, in its own nature, precarious and dependent on human will and caprice; but it is conformable to the constitution of man, as well as necessary to the well-being of society."
by:
Alexander Hamilton
(1757-1804) American statesman, Secretary of the Treasury
Source:
The Farmer Refuted, 1775
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Reader comments about this quote:
 -- Jean, Minneapolis      
Compelled compliance, license, victimless crimes, larceny with impunity (direct theft of the noble labor's fruits, funny money, governmentally sponsored ponzi schemes, etc.), arbitrary rules / statutes / etc. against man's freedom of movement and commercial endeavors, socialism, Keynesian economics are all a most manifest violation of justice and natural rights.
 -- Mike, Norwalk     
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     -- Tom, Stamford,ct      
    As a stand alone quote Hamilton captures the essence of liberty here. Sadly though this cretin was probably the first politician in American history to be bought and paid for by the central baning cabal of the day. The first "traitor" to the very principles he describes here as being essential to the American way of life. That same banking cabal is what is running and ruining our way of life to this very day. End the Fed ans restore the Republic.
     -- J Carlton, Calgary     
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    Madoff is in jail for life for running a Ponzi scheme and a man in Florida is facing a 20 year sentence for bilking some folk out of 900 million in another similar scheme. Members of Congress live the good life and retire rich for doing worse than these two. Roger clemens was tried in court for lying to Congress while this fine group lies daily to the American people, and naturally, they are usually re- elected.
     -- jim k, Austin, Tx     
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    Excellent.
     -- E Archer, NYC     
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    Jim... I have to add that Congress had no business in even questioning Roger Clemens in the first place. It is painful to think about how I paid taxes for the Congress to investigate the steroid use of a professional athlete rather than search for a solution to the national debt, social security, the wars, the economy, gas prices, etc.
     -- Publius     
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