Alexander Hamilton

"I have never found a good cure for envy except in the exercise of industry and virtue."

"The most virtuous people are frequently the most misunderstood by their contemporaries."

"The nation that thinks itself most secure often proves itself most vulnerable."

"My opinion is that the Constitution should be strictly construed."

"The love of one's country is a natural sentiment that requires no invention."

"The merchant's trade lifts up the nation, for commerce is the veins of prosperity."

"The pen is mightier than the sword, yet the sword is sometimes necessary to protect the pen."

"The pursuit of happiness requires the pursuit of virtue; happiness will follow."

"To seek perfection in human affairs is to seek the impossible, yet we must always strive."

"The strength of a nation depends upon the moral strength of her citizens."

"The ties of blood, though sacred, are secondary to the ties of principle."

"The unity of the nation requires the sacrifice of local interests for the common good."

"The virtue of a republic lies in the character of its people and their representatives."

"The wealth of nations is built upon the enterprise and industry of free men."

"Those who will not learn from history are condemned to repeat its mistakes."

"To despair is to abandon the very tools that might yet save us."

"True friendship is a rarity; most of what men call friendship is mere convenience."

"We must take the world as it is, not as we might wish it to be."

"The will to succeed is half the victory; the other half is discipline."

"The wisdom of ages is our greatest inheritance; let us not squander it."

"You cannot govern men with logic alone; you must also appeal to their passions."

"The zeal for public service must be tempered by an understanding of human nature."

"Agriculture is the foundation of all wealth and national power."

"Beware the gratitude of the masses; it is notoriously fickle and unreliable."

"Character is the only lasting legacy a man can leave to the world."

"Defects in the government should be frankly acknowledged and speedily remedied."

"Expect little from human nature; hope much from human virtue."

"For a free people, the only true security lies in their own vigilance and virtue."

"Good government requires good men, not merely good structures."

"He who commands the finances of the nation has the true seat of power."