登陆注册
20077300000002

第2章 INTRODUCTION(2)

Even to ridicule the President was pronounced by the corrupt partisan judges a violation of the law.Men were beaten almost to death for neglecting to pull off their hats when the President was passing,and every man who did not instantly prostrate himself before the ensigns of Federal royalty,was denounced as the enemy of his country.The following letter,addressed to President John Adams by the merchants of Boston,shows to what lengths that party had dragged the public mind in the direction of monarchy:"We,the subscribers,inhabitants and citizens of Boston,in the State of Massachusetts,deeply impressed with the alarming situation of our country,and convinced of the necessity of uniting with firmness at this interesting crisis,beg leave to express to you,the Chief Magistrate and supreme ruler over the United States,our fullest approbation of all the measures,external and internal,you have pleased to adopt,under direction of divine authority.We beg leave also to express the high and elevated opinion we entertain of your talents,your virtue,your wisdom and your prudence;and our fixed resolution to support,at the risk of our lives and fortunes,such measures as you may determine upon to be necessary for promoting and securing the honor and happiness of America."Any one can see that men who could address the President after this fashion,had a great deal less respect for the restraints and limitations of a written Constitution,than for the will and force of individual power.That was the drift of a certain portion of public opinion in America at that time.

But the tyrannical excesses of that party soon brought it into such odium,that it was driven from power by the election of Mr.Jefferson to the Presidency.

Though defeated,its partisans never ceased to labor to drag the Constitution away from its Democratic foundations,by giving the Constitution a construction utterly antagonistic to the intentions of the Convention which framed and of the States which adopted it.The great vice of the Federalists consisted in desiring to clothe the Federal Government with almost monarchical powers;

whereas the States had carefully and resolutely reserved the great mass of political power to themselves.The powers which they delegated to the Federal Government were few,and were general in their character.Those which they reserved embraced their original and inalienable sovereignty,which no State imagined it was surrendering when it,adopted the Constitution.

Mr.Madison dwelt with great force upon the fact that "a delegated is not a surrendered power."The States surrendered no powers to the Federal Government.

They only delegated them.The powers of the States are original.Those of the Federal Government are only derived and secondary;and they were delegated,not for the purpose of aggrandizing the Federal Government,but for the sole purpose of protecting the rights and sovereignty of "the several States."The Federal Government was formed by the States for their own benefit.The Federal Government is simply an agency,commissioned by the "several States"for their own convenience and safety.In the Convention of Virginia,Patrick Henry said:"Liberty,sir,is the primary object.

Liberty,the greatest of all earthly blessings ?give us that precious jewel,and you may take away everything else."And,with an eloquence more powerful than that which shook the throne of Macedon,he demonstrated that the battles of the Revolution were fought,not to make "a great and mighty empire,"but "for liberty."It was for liberty ?for the liberty of the people of the "several States"that the Federal Government was established.

同类推荐
  • 千顷堂书目

    千顷堂书目

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Miss Billy

    Miss Billy

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 阳宅指南

    阳宅指南

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Memoirs of Marie Antoinette

    The Memoirs of Marie Antoinette

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 吉验篇

    吉验篇

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 异能掌控者

    异能掌控者

    满满天地,总是有许多奇人异事,其中最让人津津乐道且经久不衰的,便是超能力。古有飞天观星之预言,今有异术超能数不胜数,但还有一部分人,已经完全融入尘世间。强大异能家族,异能和修仙的碰撞,又或者是......融合?国界间的冲突,如何独立于政权之外?上天入地,各界穿行纵横万千?异能掌控者,不仅仅是一个头衔,还代表着更多......乙庚叁柒甲
  • 王爷在上之恒悠风华

    王爷在上之恒悠风华

    他一世风华,是个不折不扣的花心王爷,妻妾成群,表里不一。她梦游穿越,是个纯良无辜的懒散女子,破入绝境,重获自由。当他最终看穿了她,世事却又无常变化,到底,何处才是归属?
  • 霸妻:老公乖乖就范

    霸妻:老公乖乖就范

    她原本以为世界上最倒霉悲惨的事情便是被绑架者绑错了人,受尽折磨。却没有想到,更悲惨是这一场绑架让她发现了枕边老公的一张张假面。找小三?搭小四?小五竟然是最好的闺蜜?斯文沉稳的老公,找小三成惯性并且死不认罪。她从一个胆小怯懦的软媳妇,华丽变身成为业界女强人。骗她的人,她狠狠打击,糟蹋她的人,她绝不手软。没有哪个女人愿意自己坚强,怪只怪曾经被欺负得太惨。变态老公揭开全过程,窝囊媳妇翻身全记录。
  • 降妖伏魔记

    降妖伏魔记

    封神大战过后,天上三百六十五路诸神神位已定,二郎神,哪吒等人率领众神降妖除魔,捍卫正道
  • 行走职场不缺氧:高压环境下的职场生存之道

    行走职场不缺氧:高压环境下的职场生存之道

    人类一旦缺氧,就会出现胸闷、气短、头晕、头痛等现象,重则导致机体免疫力下降,引发各种疾病。其实,人不止在空气稀薄的地方会缺氧,行走职场也会缺氧。你是否经常也感到厌倦松懈,甚至没有工作的冲动;是否对自己的前景开始担忧;是否为工作焦虑烦闷,夜夜失眠;是否感到才思枯竭、江郎才尽……直到有一天,当你发现自己已经开始讨厌这份工作了,办公室里压抑的空气使你感到窒息,这就说明你的职场“缺氧”了!
  • 你远比想象中强大

    你远比想象中强大

    挪威最顶尖的心智训练师贝特朗·拉森认为,所有挑战都是心智挑战,唯一真正的对手就是你自己。如果目标达不到,多半都是对自己手下留情。因此,曾在空降兵特种部队服役多年的他,创制出了一套融合了军训、心理学和成功人士经验的【贝特朗心智训练】,让任何人可以掌控自己心智、超越极限,抗拒诱惑、克服困难、驾驭意志力、强化心理素质。最重要的是,【贝特朗心智训练】能让你经历【找到最好的自己】的【巅峰体验】,让你为目标心甘情愿付出,一点都不觉得辛苦!你可以充分运用这本书,激励自己改变人生轨迹。唯一的问题是你有没有这个胆量!
  • 天地九祖

    天地九祖

    太古洪荒年间,世界突然颤抖,只见天穹一片血红,然而在血红中出现了四道光芒,这四道光芒,每一道里面都有一尊小鼎,光芒包裹四尊三足小鼎,散落世间。同时,世界各地山呼海啸,火山喷发。然而,大地的深处,却诞生出四尊四足大鼎。它们神秘而浩瀚,注定不凡。它们散落世间,似乎在寻找什么,又像是在等待什么······少年王浩然意外得知亲人的消息,为了能亲人相聚。他离开爷爷,离开山村,带着自己的两位兄弟,踏寻成仙之道······
  • 重生之嫡女风华惹尘埃

    重生之嫡女风华惹尘埃

    本该是天之娇女,确亲手将自己的一身荣华送与她人,卿卿性命到底是毁于他人,还是自己断送?只可惜当看清一切时已无力还击。幸得上天怜惜,给我重生机会。这一世,我不愿再呆呆傻傻被人玩弄于股掌之间。看我如何毁渣男,虐渣姐,辱庶母,将上一世的屈辱统统讨回。也感谢上天让我遇见你,既相爱,便无悔。
  • 呆萌小绵羊:腹黑竹马接招吧

    呆萌小绵羊:腹黑竹马接招吧

    ——大概最爱的事情就是陪在你的身边。——大概最爱的事情就是你在我的身边。那一年她还在襁褓里牙牙学语,他已经两岁。好奇心满满的他跟着母亲来到朋友家见到了她,从此,他的生命中不可缺少的就是她。那一年她十三岁,他十四岁,外面传闻有人喜欢她,他吃醋了,他唯一一次感受到危机的存在。——“你喜欢谁。”“站在我身边永远不离开的人。”——大概最美好的时光,就是你在我身旁而我也在你身旁,就这样一直到老。
  • 寻仙问道之长生千年

    寻仙问道之长生千年

    我是个无神论者,可为什么卷入道教的这些神神怪怪里?我看看书就是看个热闹,顶多爱乱想,我没钱没时间没胆量搞探险,可为什么探险成,连那了职业?为什么死秃驴和两面派都长得那么帅?老天爷不公平个小p孩都比我有能耐,这算啥?活几千年有什么意思?干什么到现在了还一堆人争来争去?烦不烦?烦不烦?