‘Liberty Letters’ Archives
Madison’s Notes: The Federal Convention of 1787: September 12
Liberty Letters, Madison's Notes, 12 September 1787 DOCr. JOHNSON from the Committee of stile &c. reported a digest of the plan, of which printed copies were ordered to be furnished to the members. He also reported a letter to accompany the plan, to Congress. (Here insert a transcript of the former from the annexed sheet as printed *2 and [...]
Madison’s Notes: The Federal Convention of 1787: September 11
Liberty Letters, 11 September 1787 The Report of the Committee of Stile and arrangement not being made and being waited for, The House Adjourned ______________________ Copyright of Madison's Notes to the Federal Convention of 1787 is in the Public Domain.
Two Measures If Not Taken, We Are Undone
Liberty Letters, Thomas Jefferson: 1821 There are two measures which if not taken, we are undone. 1st. to check these unconstitutional invasions of state rights by the federal judiciary. How? not by impeachment in the first instance, but by a strong protestation of both houses of Congress that such and such doctrines, advanced by the supreme [...]
Samuel Adams: If Ye Love Wealth Better Than Liberty
Liberty Letters, Samuel Adams If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of your servitude better than the animating conflict of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsel or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our [...]
Abraham Lincoln’s 1838 Lyceum Address
Liberty Letters, Abraham Lincoln The Perpetuation of Our Political Institutions: Editor's introduction: Address by 28 yr. old Abraham Lincoln, before the Young Men's Lyceum of Springfield, Illinois in response to the burning in St. Louis a few weeks earlier, by a mob, of a negro. January 27, 1838 As a subject for the remarks of the [...]
Daniel Webster: Return to Fundamentals
Liberty Letters, Daniel Webster When the mariner has been tossed for many days in thick weather, and on an unknown sea, he naturally avails himself of the first pause in the storm, the earliest glance of the sun, to take his latitude, and ascertain how far the elements have driven him from his true course. Let us imitate this prudence, and, [...]
Abraham Lincoln: The Natural Condition of the Human Race
Liberty Letters, Abraham Lincoln Freedom is the natural condition of the human race, in which the Almighty intended men to live. Those who fight the purposes of the Almighty will not succeed. They always have been, they always will be, beaten. ___________________ Source: Abraham Lincoln, quoted by Lucius E Chittenden, "Recollections of [...]
Thomas Paine: The American Crisis I
Liberty Letters, Thomas Paine, December 23, 1776 THESE are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this [...]
Gradual and Silent Encroachments
Liberty Letters, James Madison: 1787 Since the general civilization of mankind, I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power, than by violent and sudden usurpations. _____________________ Source: James Madison, as quoted in "Elliot's Debates" [...]
William Gladstone: On the Constitution
Liberty Letters, William Gladstone I have always regarded that Constitution as the most remarkable work known to men in modern times to have been produced by the human intellect, at a single stroke (so to speak), in it application to political affairs. _____________________ Source: William Gladstone, July 20, 1887; John Bartlett, [...]
John Adams: Property Sacred as the Laws of God
Liberty Letters Quote of the Day, John Adams The moment the idea is admitted into society that property is not as sacred as the laws of God, and that there is not a force of law and public justice to protect it, anarchy and tyranny commence. ___________________ Source: John Adams, Works 6:9
Madison’s Notes: Federal Convention of 1787: Sept. 10
Liberty Letters, 10 September 1787, James Madison Editor's Summary: Motion that Legislature may propose amendments, to be binding when assented to by three-fourths of the States. Agreed to. Motion to require the assent of the present Congress, before submitting it to the States for ratification. Disagreed to. Motion to require the assent [...]
George Washington: Determine Now to Be Enslaved or Free
Liberty Letters Quote of the Day, George Washington The honor and safety of our bleeding country, and every other motive that can influence the brave and heroic patriot, call loudly upon us, to acquit ourselves with spirit. In short, we must now determine to the be enslaved or free. If we make freedom our choice, we must obtain it by the [...]
James Madison: Prudent Jealousy, the First Duty of Citizens
Liberty Letters Quote of the Day, James Madison It is proper to take alarm at the first experiment on our liberties. We hold this prudent jealousy to be the first duty of citizens, and one of the noblest characteristics of the late Revolution. The freemen of America did not wait till usurped power had strengthened itself by exercise, and [...]
Madison’s Notes: Federal Convention of 1787: Sept. 08
Liberty Letters, 08 September 1787, James Madison Editor's Overview: Motion to require treaties of peace to be consented to by two-thirds of the Senate, briefly debated and agreed to. Motion to strike out the requirement of a two-thirds vote of the Senate for making treating. Disagreed to. Motion to require that in treaties of peace cases [...]
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 [...]
The Rights of the British Colonies Asserted and Proved: James Otis
Liberty Letters, 1764, James Otis Of the Political and Civil Rights of the British Colonists Here indeed opens to view a large field; but I must study brevity—Few people have extended their enquiries after the foundation of any of their rights, beyond a charter from the crown. There are others who think when they have got back to old [...]
Madison’s Notes: The Federal Convention of 1787: Sept. 07
Liberty Letters, 07 Sept. 1787, James Madison Editor's Overview: The mode of constituting the Presidency being resumed, Randolph moved, to insert in the first Section of the report made yesterday: "The Legislature may declare by law what officer of the United States shall act as President in case of the death, resignation, or disability of the [...]
The Vice President: Loving Heir Apparent?
Liberty Letters with Steve Farrell Elbridge Gerry, Massachusetts delegate to the Constitutional Convention, and signer of both The Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation, rose to his feat during the constitutional debates for September 7, 1787 to oppose the motion that would appoint Vice Presidents under the proposed new [...]
Men, Freemen, Christian Freemen
Liberty Letters with Steve Farrell Wrote American Founder John Dickinson in 1787, in his Letters From a Farmer in Pennsylvania: Let us consider ourselves as MEN — FREEMEN — CHRISTIAN FREEMEN — separated from the rest of the world, and firmly bound together by the same rights, interests and dangers. Let these keep our attention inflexibly [...]
Conservatism v. Progressivism: G.K. Chesterton
Liberty Letters with Steve Farrell As to the two major modern political thrusts defined; G. K. Chesterton quips with a bit of wit and biting precision: The whole modern world has divided itself into Conservatives and Progressives. The business of Progressives is to go on making mistakes. The business of the Conservatives is to prevent the [...]
John Adams: On Property and the Laws of God
Liberty Letters, John Adams The moment the idea is admitted into society that property is not as sacred as the laws of God, and that there is not a force of law and public justice to protect it, anarchy and tyranny commence. __________________ Source: John Adams, Works 6:9.
Madison’s Notes: Federal Convention of 1787: Sept. 06
Liberty Letters, 6 September 1787, James Madison Editor's Overview: Article ten, relative to the President, resumed. Mr. Gerry motions to exclude members of the Legislature, and public officers from being Electors. Passed. Mr. Spaight and Mr. Williamson enter motion to extend the Executive term from four to seven years. Rejected. And again [...]
Almighty God Hath Created the Mind Free: Thomas Jefferson
Liberty Letters, Thomas Jefferson Almighty God hath created the mind free, and ... all attempts to influence it by temporal punishments ... tend only to begat habits of hypocrisy and meanness, and are a departure from the plan of the Holy Author of religion, who being Lord both of body and mind, yet chose not to propagate it by coercions on [...]
Our Liberties Worth Defending At All Hazards: Samuel Adams
Liberty Letters, Samuel Adams The liberties of our country, the freedom of our civil constitution are worth defending at all hazards; and it is our duty to defend them against all attacks. We have received them as a fair inheritance from our worthy ancestors: they purchased them for us with toil and danger and expense of treasure and blood, and [...]
Happiness From Power Over Others? Jefferson
Liberty Letters, Thomas Jefferson I have never been able to conceive how any rational being could propose happiness to himself from the exercise of power over others. ___________________ Source: Thomas Jefferson, Famous Quotes.
Madison’s Notes: Federal Convention of 1787: Sept. 5
Liberty Letters, 05 September 1787, James Madison Editor's Overview: Passed without debate: "To promote the progress of Science and useful arts by securing for limited times to authors and inventors, the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries." And yet, today, in the name of so-called Free Trade we let nations like China [...]
On Safety: Benjamin Franklin
Liberty Letters, Benjamin Franklin They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ________________________ Source: Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania.
Madison’s Notes: Federal Convention of 1787: Sept. 4
Liberty Letters, 04 September 1787, James Madison Editor's Overview: Most important item discussed: Electoral College defined. Note that the electors match the total number of Congressmen for their respective states, that is, they match the representative formula which mixes proportional representation (as in the House) with equal representation [...]
Madison’s Notes: Federal Convention of 1787: Sept. 3
Liberty Letters, 3 September 1787, James Madison Editor's Overview: After a few small refinements to previously passed measures, the most significant discussion of the day was over the issue of eligibility to serve in civil service positions (and elsewhere in government) while serving in Congress. Pinkney was strenuously opposed to an [...]
