“[T]he delegation of the government, in [a republic], to a small number of citizens elected by the rest . . . [is] to refine and enlarge the public views by passing them through the medium of a chosen body of citizens, whose wisdom may best discern the true interest of their country and whose patriotism and love of justice will be least likely to sacrifice it to temporary or partial considerations.”

When manufacturing was exported to foreign countries the true interest of the citizens was given away, with lack of consideration or Not? (hostile take over!) for the best interest of the people and country we should retain the ability to support our way of living. This has been taken away from us through marketing and the law of % growth per year in capitalism. We have all been betrayed with the means of not being able to produce the life in which we live! Get back to your wood shops!

This is only the structure of a republic that is supposed to maintain its function. However, once the elite become averse to liberty, the structure can no longer maintain the function. A republic is not so much a form of government as it is a function of government, i.e. to maintain liberty.

The chosen body of citizens we have now are liars and thieves, elected by thieves and liars. Everyone is well aware of the quality of those in Washington but most refuse to say it in absolute terms. Moral men avoid politics for what it has become and I cannot blame them. If you asked the average American on the street what freedom was, your answer would invariably either be some rot about getting to do whatever you want, or some infantile, circular argument about fairness and equality. Grow up America. Freedom is the right to the goods and services you produce, without interference. The enemies of freedom are those who would confiscate your labor for "the common good". There is no freedom in a world where a man is forced to serve those who would rob him of his labor. Madison was one of the greatest salesmen ever peddling one of the worst products ever conceived of by man: tyranny.

Not shooting the messenger, excellent ! ! ! comments by Anonymous, Ben, and Justin. It is true, there is very little resemblance to the Constitution's "guaranteed Republic", except for some procedural pomp and circumstance, by the statist theocracy that infests this land BUT, as was intended by the body of founders, the quote is accurate. The individual sovereigns (the you and me of We The People) were to delegate, NOT GIVE UP, authority to act in our individual names. The guaranteed republican form of government was to counter (being contrary to) dreaded democracies and at the time, in vogue socialist philosophies. The representatives were to expand the individual free man's expression. Today law, rights, liberty, and justice have been sacrificed on the alter of power mongering despots who's true interest it is to eliminate the wisdom and liberty established by the founder's representative republic.

Justin can you tell me of a time when it was different than you discribe. Mike likes the quote. Does that mean you are for the learned men wisdom concept and against the "term limits concept". Representative government is the necessary consquence of a large poplulation is all that he is saying.

We hear a lot of babbling about "rights" these days. The right to "free" health, care, food, education, you name it. The word free comes into play for all these so-called rights.There is one right that would be nice but the govrnment won't allow it. That's the right To Be Left Alone. Things would work out pretty well if the government would keep out of every part of everyone's life, but the dogooders in Washington have got to butt in and fowl up everything they touch.

This quote is misguided and could be "discern"ed as a mental impairment.  To delegate to small elected number is to not appreciate the ability of the citizenry and allow the citizenry to neglect their full responsibility and participation in the governmental proceedings.