The Federalist Papers, No. 51 by James Madison: The Federalist Papers, No. 51 by James Madison, List 2

Published on February 8, 1788, this essay by Madison advocates for a system of checks and balances within the United States government. Read the full text here.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. magistrate
    a lay judge or civil authority who administers the law
    Were the executive magistrate, or the judges, not independent of the legislature in this particular, their independence in every other would be merely nominal.
  2. nominal
    existing in name only
    Were the executive magistrate, or the judges, not independent of the legislature in this particular, their independence in every other would be merely nominal.
  3. encroachment
    the act or state of having strong influence
    But the great security against a gradual concentration of the several powers in the same department, consists in giving to those who administer each department the necessary constitutional means and personal motives to resist encroachments of the others.
  4. commensurate
    corresponding in size or degree or extent
    The provision for defense must in this, as in all other cases, be made commensurate to the danger of attack.
  5. oblige
    force somebody to do something
    In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.
  6. auxiliary
    furnishing added support
    A dependence on the people is, no doubt, the primary control on the government; but experience has taught mankind the necessity of auxiliary precautions.
  7. subordinate
    lower in rank or importance
    We see it particularly displayed in all the subordinate distributions of power, where the constant aim is to divide and arrange the several offices in such a manner as that each may be a check on the other that the private interest of every individual may be a sentinel over the public rights.
  8. sentinel
    a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
    We see it particularly displayed in all the subordinate distributions of power, where the constant aim is to divide and arrange the several offices in such a manner as that each may be a check on the other that the private interest of every individual may be a sentinel over the public rights.
  9. prudence
    discretion in practical affairs
    These inventions of prudence cannot be less requisite in the distribution of the supreme powers of the State.
  10. requisite
    necessary for relief or supply
    These inventions of prudence cannot be less requisite in the distribution of the supreme powers of the State.
Created on Fri May 30 13:20:59 EDT 2025

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