Patrick Henry’s Warning on “Implied Authority”
Patrick Henryโs impassioned remarks during the final days of the Virginia Ratifying Convention were the culmination of week-long arguments between skeptics of the proposed Constitution and its supporters, such as James Madison. In modern context, it is easy at first...
The Federal Farmer: The Constitution Would Lead to a Complete Consolidation
During the debates over ratification of the Constitution, one of the most influential and important series of papers were written by the Federal Farmer, an anti-federalist who forcefully warned that the proposed federal government would lead to consolidation and a...
Patrick Henry: Jury Trials Are the “Last and Best Privilege”
During the Virginia ratifying convention on June 20, 1789, Patrick Henry warned that the power bestowed to the Supreme Court would undermine the right to trial by jury. Henry was a strong opponent of ratification throughout the convention. He was deeply wary of the...