In this selection, Tocqueville expresses his belief that democratic-republics are liable to perish from a misuse of power rather than by impotence. He also ventured the thought that the American republics are more centralized and more energetic than the monarchies of Europe. Of interest, too, he quotes a couple of

Writing as "Massachusettensis" in the Massachusetts Gazette, Daniel Leonard argued that Parliament had a constitutional right to exercise authority over the American colonies. The denial of this "right" was the central theme of America's revolutionaries; consequently, writing as "Novanglus," John Adams countered "Massachusettensis's" arguments in a series of essays that

The French and Indian War completely changed the relationship between Great Britain and its American colonies. The era prior to this conflict has been characterized by historians as one of "salutary neglect." Broadly speaking, salutary neglect means that the various revenue laws and acts (e.g., the Navigation Acts) were

Thomas Jefferson, believing that the United States had already lost its way and was descending into "monarchism" under Federalist leadership, ran for President in 1800. He won and characterized the victory as a revolution in service of republican principles. Of course, Jefferson's "revolution" didn't end partisan politics. This post highlights

In a work entitled, "Agriculture and the Militia," John Taylor addressed the topic of Slavery. In one part of the subject, he addressed the purposes of society and the problems associated with "sub-societies." Although, not a name known to many today (as opposed to Thomas Jefferson or Patrick Henry, etc.

Entitled, “A Friend of the Constitution,” William Cranch penned this for the Washington Federalist. It has some interesting points about the virtues inherent in an independent judiciary and the vices that may issue from judicial dependence. Pieces like this often, however, beg the question as to whether, given human and