Last Best Hope of Earth

Category: Constitution

  • Constitution Sunday: “Publius,” The Federalist XIV

    “Publius,” The Federalist XIV [James Madison]

    New-York Packet, November 30, 1787

    With the draft Constitution having been published for consideration by the residents of each state in 1787 came questions about whether and how the federal government would effectuate its responsibilities given the vast land that the states and territories had already comprised—which James Madison found to be framed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Mississippi River. Madison, in The Federalist XIV, articulated the reasoning behind the Constitution’s model for government, and at the heart of that reasoning was that this new form of government was not going to be a pure democracy of yore but rather a modern republic: “The true distinction” between a democracy and a republic is “that in a democracy, the people meet and exercise the government in person; in a republic they assemble and administer it by their representatives and agents. A democracy consequently will be confined to a small spot. A republic may be extended over a large region.” (more…)

  • Constitution Sunday: “Brutus” IV

    “Brutus” IV

    New York Journal, November 29, 1787

    At the heart of a healthy democracy is the power for people or their representatives to create, modify, or repeal the laws for those laws inevitably govern nearly all aspects of life. The New York Journal published an article that dissected fair representation in the proposed Constitution:

    “The object of every free government is the public good, and all lesser interests yield to it. That of every tyrannical government, is the happiness and aggrandisement of one, or a few, and to this the public felicity, and every other interest must submit. (more…)

  • Constitution Sunday: “The Republican” to the People

    “The Republican” to the People

    Connecticut Courant (Hartford), January 7, 1788

    The liberties that Americans hold dear are not inherently self-sustaining. While the Constitution secures many liberties, it requires Americans to be vigilant in fulfilling their civic duties. This week’s Constitution Sunday highlights the Connecticut Courant, which explored these issues amidst the debate about ratifying the Constitution: (more…)

  • Constitution Sunday: “Publius,” The Federalist X

    “Publius,” The Federalist X [James Madison]

    Daily Advertiser (New York), November 22, 1787

    Following are excerpts from The Federalist X, authored by James Madison amidst the debates surrounding the ratification of the Constitution:

    “There are two methods of curing the mischiefs of faction: the one, by removing its causes; the other, by controling its effects.

    There are again two methods of removing (more…)

  • Constitution Sunday: “Cato” V

    “Cato” V

    New York Journal, November 22, 1787

    Following are excerpts from an anonymous article published in the New York Journal:

    “To the Citizens of the State of New-York.

    In my last number I endeavored to prove that the language of the article relative to the establishment of the executive of this new government was vague and inexplicit, that the great powers of the President (more…)

  • Constitution Sunday: Answers to Mason’s “Objections”: “Marcus” [James Iredell] IV

    Answers to Mason’s “Objections”: “Marcus” [James Iredell] IV

    Norfolk and Portsmouth Journal (Virginia), March 12, 1788

    Following are excerpts from James Iredell’s responses to George Mason’s “Objections” to the Constitution:

    “VIIIth. Objection. ‘Under their own construction of the general clause at the end of the enumerated powers, the Congress may grant monopolies in trade and commerce, constitute new crimes, inflict unusual and severe punishments, and extend their power as far as they shall think proper (more…)

  • Constitution Sunday: Answers to Mason’s “Objections”: “Marcus” [James Iredell] II

    Answers to Mason’s “Objections”: “Marcus” [James Iredell] II

    Norfolk and Portsmouth Journal (Virginia), February 27, 1788

    Following are excerpts from James Iredell’s responses to George Mason’s “Objections” to the Constitution:

    “IVth. Objection. The Judiciary of the United States is so constructed and extended, as to absorb and destroy the Judiciaries of the several States (more…)

  • Constitution Sunday: Answers to Mason’s “Objections”: “Marcus” [James Iredell] I

    Answers to Mason’s “Objections”: “Marcus” [James Iredell] I

    Norfolk and Portsmouth Journal (Virginia), February 20, 1788

    Following are excerpts from James Iredell’s responses to George Mason’s “Objections” to the Constitution:

    “IIId. [George Mason’s] Objection. ‘The Senate have the power of altering all money bills, and of originating appropriations of money, and the salaries of the officers of their own appointment, in conjunction with the President of the United States (more…)

  • Constitution Sunday: Reply to Mason’s “Objections”: “Civis Rusticus”

    Reply to Mason’s “Objections”: “Civis Rusticus”

    Virginia Independent Chronicle (Richmond), January 30, 1788

    Following are excerpts of an article written in response to George Mason’s article listing the objections to the Constitution:

    “5th. Had the convention left the executive power indivisible, I am free to own it would have been better, than giving the senate a share in it (more…)

  • Constitution Sunday: George Mason, “Objections to the Constitution”

    George Mason, “Objections to the Constitution”

    Circulated early October 1787, published in full in the Virginia Journal (Alexandria), November 22, 1787

    Following are excerpts from George Mason’s article, articulating objections to the Constitution, as submitted to the states for ratification:

    “Gentlemen, At this important crisis when we are about to determine upon a government which is not to effect us for a month, for a year, or for our lives: but which, it is probable, will extend (more…)