American Revolution and Constitution

Alexander Hamilton denounces the British for imposing “oppressive taxes” on the colonists which amount to tyranny, a form of slavery, and vassalage to the Empire (1774)

Alexander Hamilton on the Civil Balance of Power

Alexander Hamilton on the Constitutionality of a National Bank

Alexander Hamilton warns of the danger to civil society and liberty from a standing army since “the military state becomes elevated above the civil” (1787)

Benjamin Franklin and the Need for Unity among the Colonies

Carl Lotus Becker, Materialism and Idealism in the Declaration of Independence

Daniel Webster thunders that the introduction of conscription would be a violation of the constitution, an affront to individual liberty, and an act of unrivaled despotism (1814)

Forrest McDonald argues that the Founding Fathers envisaged a new economic order based upon Lockean notions of private property and the creation of the largest contiguous area of free trade in the world (2006)

George Washington and America’s Future

George Washington on the Difference between Commercial and Political Relations with other Countries (1796)

George Washington on the Whiskey Rebellion and the Pardon Power

George Washington warns that the knee jerk reaction of citizens to problems is to seek a solution in the creation of a “new monarch”(1786)

Gouverneur Morris on the proper balance between commerce, private property, and political liberty (1776)

James Madison on the “sagacious and monied few” who are able to “harvest” the benefits of government regulations (1787)

James Madison on the dangers of elections resulting in overbearing majorities who respect neither justice nor individual rights, Federalist 10 (1788)

James Madison on the mischievous effects of mutable government in The Federalist no. 62 (1788)

James Madison on the necessity of separating the power of “the sword from the purse” (1793)

James Madison on the need for the “separation of powers” because “men are not angels,” Federalist 51 (1788)

Lance Banning argues that within a decade of the creation of the US Constitution the nation was engaged in a bitter battle over the soul of the American Republic (2004)

Madison argued that war is the major way by which the executive office increases its power, patronage, and taxing power (1793)

Madison on “Parchment Barriers” and the defence of liberty I (1788)

Mercy Otis Warren asks why people are so willing to obey the government and answers that it is supineness, fear of resisting, and the long habit of obedience (1805)

Mercy Otis Warren on Civil and Religious Rights and Tyranny

Paine on the idea that the law is king (1776)

Simeon Howard on liberty as the opposition to “external force and constraint” (1773)

The 5th Day of Christmas: Samuel Cooper on the Articles of Confederation and peace on earth (1780)

The 7th Day of Christmas: Madison on “the most noble of all ambitions” which a government can have, of promoting peace on earth (1816)

The 8th Day of Christmas: Jefferson on the inevitability of revolution in England only after which there will be peace on earth (1817)

The Abbé de Mably argues with John Adams about the dangers of a “commercial elite” seizing control of the new Republic and using it to their own advantage (1785)

The Fourth Amendment to the American Constitution states that the people shall be secure in their persons against unreasonable searches and seizures and that no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause (1788)

The State of New York declares that the people may “reassume” their delegated powers at any time they choose (1788)

Thomas Jefferson and The National Bank Question Yet Again: 1813-1817

Thomas Jefferson in a letter to John Taylor condemns the system of banking as “a blot” on the constitution, as corrupt, and that long-term government debt was “swindling” future generations (1816)

Thomas Jefferson on Slavery and Liberty

Thomas Jefferson on Slavery and the Wrath of God

Thomas Jefferson on the Draft as "the last of all oppressions" (1777)

Thomas Jefferson on the Unity of the Nation

Thomas Jefferson on whether the American Constitution is binding on those who were not born at the time it was signed and agreed to (1789)

Thomas Jefferson opposed vehemently the Alien and Sedition Laws of 1798 which granted the President enormous powers showing that the government had become a tyranny which desired to govern with "a rod of iron" (1798)

Thomas Paine asks how it is that established governments came into being, his answer, is "banditti of ruffians" seized control and turned themselves into monarchs (1792)

Thomas Paine on the absurdity of an hereditary monarchy (1791)

Thomas Paine’s patriotic song called “Hail Great Republic” which is to be sung to the tune of Rule Britannia

Tiedeman on the victimless crime of vagrancy (1900)

Tom Paine on the "Decline and Fall of the English System of Finance" (1796)

William Findley wants to maintain the separation of church and state and therefore sees no role for the “ecclesiastical branch” in government (1812)