Founding Fathers
States vs. Feds: The 10th Amendment Battle Over Conscription in the War of 1812
“The last of all oppressions” That’s how Thomas Jefferson described the military draft. Because of widespread opposition to it, the federal government didn’t actively draft men into the military until the Civil War. But, during the War of 1812, it tried – and...
Remembering John Dickinson: “One of the great worthies of the revolution”
“We cannot be happy without being FREE.” Those words from John Dickinson, known as the “Penman of the Revolution,” reflect his belief that LIBERTY is the foundation of everything else. Once almost as famous as Benjamin Franklin, Dickinson is almost...
Kentucky Resolutions of 1798: Jefferson on the Constitution’s Structure and How to Defend It
“A nullification of the act is the rightful remedy.” That’s how Thomas Jefferson put it in his draft Resolutions against the Alien and Sedition Acts. On November 10, 1798, the Kentucky house passed resolutions based on his principles. They not only...
George Mason’s Anti-Federalist Arguments Against the Constitution
“A monarchy, or a corrupt tyrannical aristocracy.” That’s what George Mason predicted the Constitution would produce. And his objections to ratification were some of the most influential anti-federalist writings during the debates. Mason didn’t initially oppose the...