The Day the Philadelphia Convention Narrowly Avoided Permanent Adjournment
“Something must be done, or we shall disappoint not only America, but the whole world…. We must make concessions on both sides. Without these, the constitutions of the several states would never have been formed.” -Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts, July 2, 1787 W....
Tench Coxe’s Federalist Defense: Economic and Political Consequences of Disunion
In a number of his lesser-known federalist essays, Tench Coxe pivoted from his usual focus on the division of powers between state and federal governments to tackle various Anti-Federalist arguments. He highlighted the futility of satisfying disparate objections and...
Constitution: The Founders on the Limits of Parchment Barriers
The Founding Fathers understood that written laws alone cannot protect liberty. They warned that the Constitution could, like other documents before it, become a mere “parchment barrier,” easily ignored by those in power. Leading figures like Roger Sherman, John...