Few and Defined
Under the constitution, federal powers are “few and defined.” Well, that’s how founders like James Madison, Roger Sherman and James Wilson told us they’re supposed to be. View this post …
James Wilson
The Foundation
Thomas Jefferson called the 10th Amendment the “foundation of the Constitution,” because it tells us how to read the entire document. But he was far from alone. Even before the …
Why the Founders Couldn’t Abolish Slavery
This is the third in a series of essays defending our Constitution against unfair accusations from so-called “progressives.” The first essay rebutted the charge that the Constitution discriminated against women. The second corrected the …
Consolidation vs Natural Liberty: Antifederalist Brutus No. 2
With a natural rights foundation – along with warnings about consolidation and people with power – in his 2nd of 16 essays during the debates over ratification of the Constitution, …
The ‘Three-Fifths Compromise’ was not based on racism
This is the second in a series of essays answering defamatory charges leveled against the U.S. Constitution. The first in the series addressed the allegation that the Constitution discriminated against women. In …
Today in History: Bill of Rights Ratified
Today in 1791, the first ten amendments were ratified by the requisite number of American states. As stated in the Preamble of the document, at the time of the Constitution’s …
Today in Supreme Court History: October 28, 1787
10/28/1787: James Wilson gives speech to the Pennsylvania ratification convention about the need for a Bill of Rights. Justice James Wilson ReasonFounded in 1968, Reason is the magazine of free …
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 …
Today in Supreme Court History: August 21, 1798
8/21/1798: Justice James Wilson dies. Justice James Wilson ReasonFounded in 1968, Reason is the magazine of free minds and free markets. We produce hard-hitting independent journalism on civil liberties, politics, …
The 10th Amendment: Sovereignty of the People of the Several States
In the system of the Founders, the powers of both the “general government and the state governments” are “emanations of power from the people.” The 10th Amendment was widely understood …