Quote
By John Jay
It is too true, however disgraceful it may be to human nature, that nations in general will make war whenever they have a prospect of getting anything by it; nay, absolute monarchs will often make war when their nations are to get nothing by it, but for the purposes and objects merely personal, such as thirst for military glory, revenge for personal affronts, ambition, or private compacts to aggrandize or support their particular families or partisans.
- Source
- The Federalist No. 4: The Same Subject Continued: Concerning Dangers From Foreign Force and Influence, November 7, 1787 · Federalist No. 4
- Read at
- Independent Journal (New York); text from the Library of Congress, Federalist Papers: Primary Documents in American History
Share this quote
About this quote
From Federalist No. 4, written by John Jay under the name Publius and first published in the Independent Journal on November 7, 1787. Jay is explaining why the new nation needs to be strong enough not to invite attack.