James Wilson
Today in History: James Wilson Delivers “State House Yard Speech” in Favor of the Constitution
On October 6, 1787, eminent Pennsylvanian James Wilson delivered his famous “State House Yard Speech” in support of the Constitution in Philadelphia. On the dawn of the first true test for the Constitution’s palatability, Wilson intended to explain how the...
Of the Natural Rights of Individuals
Do people exist for the sake of government? Or is it the other way around? That’s the question James Wilson attempts to answer in his 1790 work, “Of the Natural Rights of Individuals.” A signer of the Declaration of Independence and member of the...
James Wilson’s State House Yard Speech: A Primer
On October 6, 1787, eminent Pennsylvanian James Wilson delivered his famous “State House Yard Speech” in support of the Constitution in Philadelphia. On the dawn of the first true test for the Constitution’s palatability, Wilson sought out to explain how the...
Did Founder James Wilson oppose the Electoral College and favor “National Popular Vote?”
James Wilson of Pennsylvania (1742-98) was one of the most influential of the Constitution’s framers. Some scholars rank him as second only to James Madison. Wilson was a distinguished lawyer who eventually served on the U.S. Supreme Court. Advocates of direct...