George Mason
George Mason
George Masonwas a Virginia planter, politician, and a delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention of 1787, one of three men who refused to sign. His writings, including substantial portions of the Fairfax Resolves of 1774, the Virginia Declaration of Rights of 1776, and his Objections to this Constitution of Governmentin opposition to ratification of the constitution, have been a significant influence on political thought and events. The Virginia Declaration of Rights served as a basis for the United States Bill...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionPolitician
Date of Birth11 December 1725
CityFairfax County, VA
CountryUnited States of America
That elections of members to serve as representatives of the people, in assembly, ought to be free; and that all men, having sufficient evidence of permanent common interest with, and attachment to, the community, have the right of suffrage, and cannot be taxed or deprived of their property for public uses, without their own consent, or that of their representives so elected, nor bound by any law to which they have not, in like manner, assembled, for the public good.
That all power of suspending laws, or the execution of laws, by any authority, without consent of the representatives of the people, is injurious to their rights, and ought not to be exercised.
That in all capital or criminal prosecutions a man bath a right to demand the cause and nature of his accusation, to be confronted with the accusers and witnesses, to call for evidence in his favor, and to a speedy trial by an impartial jury of twelve men of his vicinage, without whose unanimous consent he cannot be found guilty; nor can he be compelled to give evidence against himself; that no man be deprived of his liberty, except by the law of the land or the judgment of his peers.
That the legislative and executive powers of the State should be separate and distinct from the judiciary; and that the members of the two first may be restrained from oppression, by feeling and participating the burdens of the people, they should, at fixed periods, be reduced to a private station, return into that body from which they were originally taken, and the vacancies be supplied by frequent, certain, and regular elections, in which all, or any part of the former members, to be again eligible, or ineligible, as the laws shall direct.
The laws of nature are the laws of God, whose authority can be superseded by no power on earth.
... who are the militia, if they be not the people of this country...? I ask, who are the militia? They consist of now of the whole people , except a few public officers.
No point is of more importance than the right of impeachment should be continued. Shall any man be above justice? Above all, shall that man be above it who can commit the most extensive injustice.
Your dear baby has died innocent and blameless, and has been called away by an all wise and merciful Creator, most probably from a life to misery and misfortune, and most certainly to one of happiness and bliss.
It can be difficult, ... If you had it since you were a kid, then you have had to deal with the pressure or stigma of being labeled slow or not committed, or simply having had your head up your (behind) or in the clouds.
That'd be cool. Some of our threes (Thursday) night didn't have a chance. I knew they weren't going in as they left the hand.
I'm very excited with the quality of the non-conference teams we have on our schedule, ... To play at Mississippi State and to host Creighton, to potentially face Wake Forest on their floor, those are the types of games that should help prepare our team for the rigors of conference play.
He's an incredible player, man. With a player like that, he kind of opens up things for the other guys on his team. We definitely have to have an awareness of him.
The poor despise labor when performed by slaves.
Attend with Diligence and strict Integrity to the Interest of your Correspondents and enter into no Engagements which you have not the almost certain Means of performing.