Liberty may be endangered by the abuse of liberty, but also by the abuse of power.

The line frames a central Madisonian concern: free government is threatened from two directions. On one side, citizens can misuse freedom—through factionalism, demagoguery, or lawless behavior—creating disorder that invites repression. On the other, officials can misuse authority—concentrating power, overriding rights, or manipulating institutions—turning government into the very danger it was meant to prevent. The quote thus argues for a constitutional balance: liberty requires both civic restraint and structural checks on rulers. It encapsulates the idea that preserving freedom is not simply limiting government, but also preventing the social and political conditions that make tyranny seem like a remedy.