‘Liberty Letters’ Archives
What Kind of Heritage Shall We Pass On?
Liberty Letters with Steve Farrell Reflecting on the causes of Rome's decay, Horace (65 BC - 8 BC), the leading Roman lyric poet, writes "Our Fathers, viler than our grandfathers, begot us who are even viler, and we shall bring forth a progeny more degenerate still?" Quite a question. But what else should we expect ... then and now, we [...]
Madison’s Notes — The Federal Convention of 1787 — July 16
Liberty Letters, 16 July 1787, James Madison (Editor's Summary: Agreeing to the whole report (thus far), while the equality of votes in the Senate issue heats up, large and small states asked to meet separately early the next morning to attempt to come up with possible solutions or compromises to end this impasse. Besides that big issue, some [...]
Madison’s Notes — Federal Convention of 1787 — July 14
Liberty Letters, 14 July 1787, James Madison (Editor's Summary: Discussed: how to admit Western State (and on what terms), the origination of money bills, and the equality of votes in the Senate as a check in favor of state rights and also in favor of the smaller states against the larger. The debate focused mostly on this Senate issue with [...]
Madison’s Notes — Federal Convention of 1787 — July 13
Liberty Letters, 13 July 1787, James Madison (Editor's summary: Debate renewed regarding the proposed equality of states within the Senate (the second branch). Discussion continued as to whether numbers or wealth are best for determining representation and taxation. Spelling has been updated and almost all shorthand removed except where Madison [...]
Madison’s Notes — Federal Convention of 1787 — July 12
Liberty Alerts, 12 July 1787, James Madison (Editor's Summary: Gouvernuer Morris moved to add to the clause empowering the Legislature to vary the Representation according to the principles of wealth and number of inhabitants a "proviso that taxation shall be in proportion to Representation." General Pinckney agreed, Mason, Butler, Wilson [...]
Madison’s Notes — The Federal Convention of 1787 — July 11
Liberty Letters, 11 July1787, James Madison (Editor's Note: Discussion regards periodic census resumed, the purpose, said Randolph, "redressing inequality in the Representation. Sherman was against to numerous a House. It would "shackle the legislature. Better to elect a smaller group of "good and wise men, and then confide in them." Mason [...]
Madison’s Notes — Federal Convention of 1787 — July 10
Liberty Letters, 10 July 1787, James Madison Editor's Intro: Debate over how many members will be in the first House of Representatives. More discussion on apportionment, and the need for an initial and periodic census. I've removed some of the shorthand, and updated the spelling. Steve Farrell Mr. KING reported from the Come. yesterday [...]
Madison’s Notes — Federal Convention of 1787 — July 9
Liberty Letters, 9 July 1787, James Madison Editor's summary/best quotes: Patterson as to counting slaves in the rep. formula: "What is the true principle of Representation? It is an expedient by which an assembly of certain individuals chosen by the people is substituted in place of the inconvenient meeting of the people themselves. If such a [...]
Madison’s Notes — The Federal Convention of 1787 — July 7
Liberty Letters, 7 July 1787, James Madison 1 "Shall the clause allowing each State one vote in the 2d. branch, stand as part of the Report"? being taken up — Mr. GERRY. This is the critical question. He had rather agree to it than have no accomodation. A Governt. short of a proper national plan, if generally acceptable, would be [...]
Madison’s Notes — The Federal Convention of 1787 — July 6
Liberty Letters, 6 July 1787, James Madison Mr. GOVr. MORRIS moved to commit so much of the Report as relates to "I member for every 40,000 inhabitants" His view was that they might absolutely fix the number for each State in the first instance; leaving the Legislature at liberty to provide for changes in the relative importance of the States, [...]
Madison’s Notes — Federal Convention of 1787 — July 5
Liberty Letters, 5 July 1787, James Madison Mr. GERRY delivered in from the Committee appointed on Monday last the following Report. "The Committee to whom was referred the 8th. Resol. of the Report from the Committee of the whole House, and so much of the 7th. as has not been decided on, submit the following Report: That the subsequent [...]
Madison’s Notes — Federal Convention of 1787 — July 2
Liberty Letters, 2 July 1787, James Madison On the question for allowing each State one vote in the second branch as moved by Mr. Elseworth, 1 Massts. no. Cont. ay. N. Y. ay. N. J. ay. Pa. no. Del. ay. Md. ay. Mr. Jenifer being not present Mr. Martin alone voted Va no. N. C. no. S. C. no. Geo. divd. Mr. Houston no. Mr. Baldwin ay. Mr. [...]
Madison’s Notes — The Federal Convention of 1787 — June 30
Liberty Letters, 30 June 1787, James Madison Mr. BREARLY moved that the President. write to the Executive of New Hampshire, informing it that the business depending before the Convention was of such a nature as to require the immediate attendance of the deputies of that State. In support of his motion he observed that the difficulties of the [...]
Peace, Easy Taxes, Justice — Adam Smith
Liberty Letters Quote of the Day, Adam Smith Little else is required to carry a state to the highest degree of affluence from the lowest barbarism but peace, easy taxes, and a tolerable administration of justice; all the rest being brought about by the natural course of things. All governments which thwart the natural course are unnatural, and [...]
Debunking Conservatism On The Sly — Barry Goldwater
Liberty Letters Quote of the Day, 1962, Barry Goldwater When I first reached Washington some ten years ago, the radical press thought it was insulting enough merely to refer to a man as a conservative, but today they reluctantly recognize the ascendancy of conservatism to the point that they now feel it necessary to add the words "right-wing" [...]
Robert Welch: Defining the Isms
Liberty Letters Quote of the Day, Robert Welch There are many stages of welfarism, socialism, and collectivism in general, but communism is the ultimate state of them all, and they all lead inevitably in that direction. In this final stage, communism, you have a society in which class distinctions are greater than in any other, but where [...]
Educating for Freedom or Tyranny? — Goethe
Liberty Letters Quote of the Day, Goethe, with Steve Farrell Two centuries ago the German poet Goethe said: "The destiny of any nation, at any given time, depends on the opinions of its young men under five-and-twenty." Which helps explain why the socialist revolutionaries who have infected this country dating back to the days of Horace [...]
Madison’s Notes — Federal Convention of 1787 — June 30
Liberty Letters, June 30 1787, James Madison Editor's Summary: The debate over proportional vs. equal representation continues. Wilson sides with Madison in stating that we have more to fear from competition between the states than coalitions. He debunks fears about monarchy and aristocracy. Bad Governments are of two sorts: that which does too [...]
No Inconsequential Matter — Steve Farrell
Liberty Letters with Steve Farrell Are socialistic policies ever legitimate in a constitutional republic? French Philosopher Frederic Bastiat provides a fit answer in his penetrating classic, "The Law:" When the law has exceeded its proper functions, it has done so merely some inconsequential and debatable matters. The law has gone further [...]
Madison’s Notes — The Federal Convention of 1787 — June 29
Liberty Letters, 29 June 1787, James Madison Editor's Summary: Doctor Johnson asserts "the States ... must be armed with some power of self-defense," thus the House should represent the people, the Senate the states. Mr. Ghorum says districts within the states feared becoming part of a state government; their fears were unfounded. Read pleads [...]
Near Bankrupt Massachusetts Received Stimulus Funds to Pay For Romney-Care
Liberty Letters Quote of the Day, The New American, Thomas R. Eddlem (with brief commentary from Steve Farrell) Just one example of what happens when we move in the direction of socialized healthcare. Thomas R. Eddlem, writing in today's New American, notes: The Massachusetts fiscal crisis is extraordinary because the state has been raking [...]
Madison’s Notes — The Federal Convention of 1787 — June 28
Liberty Letters, 28 June 1787, James Madison Editor's Summary: Luther Martin raised his concerns about protecting state rights, especially those of the smaller states. Equal representation is the only answer. Hugh Williamson countered a strict equality of votes would tempt the smaller states to unite in schemes to redistribute the wealth to pay [...]
Madison’s Notes — The Federal Convention of 1787 — June 27
Liberty Letters, 27 June 1787, James Madison (Editor's Summary: For three hours Luther Martin contended that the Federal "powers ought to be kept within narrow limits; that the Senate, and its equality provision, was key to the principle of federalism; that the states, like the people, should never surrender their right of sovereignty; that [...]
The Fall of Rome — Dennis Behreandt
Liberty Letters with Dennis Behreandt A monk or a priest or an emissary. “I wonder what I have become this day,” the man in the garb of a priest thought as he walked the muddy path between rows of shoddy hovels. Ulfilas, the Bishop, scratched his head and mused that, as a younger man, he had once had a full head of hair. God had compensated [...]
Madison’s Notes — The Federal Convention of 1787 — June 26
Liberty Letters, 26 June 1787, James Madison (Editor's summary: Duration, rotation, and purpose of U.S. Senate considered. Madison said of the Senate's purpose: "first to protect the people against their rulers: secondly to protect the people against the transient impressions into which they themselves might be led " Also noted: a protection [...]
Madison’s Notes — Federal Convention of 1787 — June 25
Liberty Letters, 25 June 1787, James Madison MONDAY. JUNE 25. IN CONVENTION Editor's Summary: Pinkney, at length, explores the system, history, and roots of the British Constitution, dubbing it the best in existence (to date), but wrong for the United States. State and county rights considered and largely defended by Pinkney, Ghorum, Wilson, [...]
External (Indirect) v. Internal (Direct) Taxes — Brutus
Liberty Letters, 1787, Brutus (probably Robert Yates) The distinction between external and internal taxes, is not a novel one in this country, it is a plain one, and easily understood. The first includes impost duties on all imported goods; this species of taxes it is proper should be laid by the general government; many reasons might be [...]
Rehnquist’s Defense in Wallace v. Jaffree (1985)
Liberty Letters, 4 June 1985, U. S. Supreme Court Justice William Rehnquist Justice REHNQUIST, dissenting. Thirty-eight years ago this Court, in Everson v. Board of Education, 330 U.S. 1, 16, 67 S.Ct. 504, 512, 91 L.Ed. 711 (1947), summarized its exegesis of Establishment Clause doctrine thus: "In the words of Jefferson, the clause [...]
Madison’s Notes — The Federal Convention of 1787 — June 23
Liberty Letters, Saturday, 23 June 1787, James Madison The 3. Resolution: resumed. 1 On 2 Question yesterday postponed by S. Carol: for agreeing to the whole sentence "for allowing an adequate compensation to be paid out of the Treasury of the U. States" Masts. ay. Cont. no. N. Y. no. N. J. ay. Pena. ay Del. no. Md. ay. Va. ay. N. C. no. [...]
On Federalism — James Wilson
Liberty Letters, 4 Dec 1787, James Wilson Sir, I think there is another subject with regard to which this Constitution deserves approbation. I mean the accuracy with which the line is drawn between the powers of the general government and those of the particular state governments. We have heard some general observations, on this subject, from [...]
