Last Best Hope of Earth
A Blog Exploring American History and Politics
Constitution Sunday: “Publius,” The Federalist XLIV [James Madison] Part I
New-York Packet January 25, 1788 In a country comprised of states, there is bound to be overlap between what those states’ governments may do and what the federal government may do. But the draft Constitution clarified those boundaries and identified many of the rights that states have and don’t have. Crucially, the Constitution sets limits […]
MoreConstitution Sunday: “Brutus” X
New York Journal January 24, 1788 History is replete with military coups. At a time when a country’s government has grown weak, the temptation to make drastic change can become overwhelming. Sometimes, rather than wait for the next election, the military makes its move—to the detriment of the democracy, the people, and the chances for […]
MoreConstitution Sunday: “Centinel” [Samuel Bryan] XII
Independent Gazetteer (Philadelphia) January 23, 1788 When a group of people conspire, their interests are aligned to work toward a result and bring about that result. The reasons for participating in a conspiracy may be varied, but often, enriching oneself—either with money, influence, or power—is at the heart of it. Conspiracies are usually simple in […]
MoreConstitution Sunday: “Publius,” The Federalist XLIII [James Madison]
Independent Journal (New York) January 23, 1788 An effective government is supposed to take care of its people’s problems. To even pretend to take care of people’s problems, a government must learn of the problems. When problems arise in smaller countries, those governments are likelier than those in large countries to have their governments learn […]
MoreConstitution Sunday: “Publius,” The Federalist XLII [James Madison]
New-York Packet January 22, 1788 One myth that persists about the founding of the American republic is that those men involved in framing the Constitution did not sufficiently account for the problems that could arise from slavery continuing into the Nineteenth Century. In reality, many of those men sought a way to slowly phase out […]
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Constitution Sunday: “Americanus” [John Stevens, Jr.] VII
Daily Advertiser (New York) January 21, 1788 With the draft Constitution being circulated and reviewed by throughout the country, Governor Edmund Randolph of Virginia wrote a letter to the Speaker of the House of Delegates detailing his objections—of which there were many—to adopting the Constitution as written. Given his stature as a governor, his objections […]
MoreThe Hunt for Jefferson Davis
The president was on the run. He hadn’t just gotten away; he had been evading his pursuers for some time. This man had been the president of the Confederacy, and now he was the most wanted man in the country, overseeing the few remaining people and things that belonged to the breakaway country. By this […]
MoreConstitution Sunday: “Publius,” The Federalist XLI [James Madison]
Independent Journal (New York) January 19, 1788 Engineering a coup can be difficult. Usually, it requires a military to not only lose faith in the civilian government but to organize an overthrowing of that government. Democratic republics fear this prospect as much as any other type of government. Although democratic republics are better suited for […]
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