Quote
By John Jay
Nothing is more certain than the indispensable necessity of government, and it is equally undeniable, that whenever and however it is instituted, the people must cede to it some of their natural rights in order to vest it with requisite powers.
- Source
- The Federalist No. 2: Concerning Dangers from Foreign Force and Influence, October 31, 1787 · Federalist No. 2
- 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. 2, written by John Jay under the name Publius and first published in the Independent Journal on October 31, 1787. Jay argues that Americans should keep one national government rather than split into confederacies.