John C. Calhoun: Government

John C. Calhoun was 7th Vice President of the United States. Explore interesting quotes on government.

John C. Calhoun: 30 quotes1 like

“The very essence of a free government consists in considering offices as public trusts, bestowed for the good of the country, and not for the benefit of an individual or a party.”

John C. Calhoun

Speech (13 February 1835)
1830s

“The Government of the absolute majority instead of the Government of the people is but the Government of the strongest interests; and when not efficiently checked, it is the most tyrannical and oppressive that can be devised.”

John C. Calhoun

Speech to the U.S. Senate (15 February 1833)
1830s

“A power has risen up in the government greater than the people themselves, consisting of many and various and powerful interests, combined into one mass, and held together by the cohesive power of the vast surplus in the banks.”

John C. Calhoun

Speech (27 May 1836); this is the source of the phrase, "Cohesive power of public plunder"
1830s