Whenever a youth is ascertained to possess talents meriting an education which his parents cannot afford, he should be carried forward at the public expense.

The sentiment argues for publicly funded advancement of gifted students whose families lack means—an early articulation of merit-based educational opportunity. It implies that a republic benefits when talent is cultivated regardless of wealth, and that public funds may justly be used to prevent poverty from wasting ability. The phrasing also suggests a selective, talent-identifying approach (“ascertained to possess talents”) rather than universal higher education, reflecting an older civic-republican idea: educating capable citizens strengthens governance and the common good. As a quotation attributed to Madison, it is often invoked in debates over scholarships, public education, and social mobility, though its evidentiary value depends on locating a reliable primary source.