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Topic: The American Creed: Our Founding Fathers: (Read 705025 times)
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Posts: 52618
The American Creed: Our Founding Fathers:
September 10, 2007, 08:10:13 AM »
"These are the times that try men's souls: The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it NOW, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman." —Thomas Paine
Last Edit: December 15, 2008, 09:49:20 PM by Crafty_Dog
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Posts: 52618
Re: Our Founding Fathers:
Reply #1 on:
September 11, 2007, 04:48:35 PM »
"How could a readiness for war in time of peace be safely
prohibited, unless we could could prohibit, in like manner,
the preparations and establishments of every hostile nation?"
-- James Madison (Federalist No. 41, 1788)
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Re: Our Founding Fathers:
Reply #2 on:
September 12, 2007, 07:12:51 AM »
"Knowledge is, in every country, the surest basis of public
-- George Washington (First Annual Message, 8 January 1790)
Reference: George Washington: A Collection, W.B. Allen, ed. (469)
Re: Our Founding Fathers:
Reply #3 on:
September 12, 2007, 01:44:05 PM »
"Without freedom of thought, there can be no such thing as wisdom; and no such thing as public liberty without freedom of speech; which is the right of every man as far as by it he does not hurt or control the right of another; and this is the only check it ought to suffer and the only bounds it ought to know. . . . Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freedom of speech, a thing terrible to traitors."
Benjamin Franklin, The New England Courant
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Re: Our Founding Fathers:
Reply #4 on:
September 13, 2007, 05:27:03 AM »
"Wish not so much to live long as to live well."
-- Benjamin Franklin (Poor Richard's Almanack, June 1746)
Reference: Franklin: Writings, Lemay, Library of America (1209)
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Re: Our Founding Fathers:
Reply #5 on:
September 14, 2007, 06:54:32 AM »
"It must be observed that our revenues are raised almost wholly
on imported goods."
-- Thomas Jefferson (letter to Gouverneur Morris, 1793)
Reference: The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Memorial Edition,
"Love your neighbor as yourself and your country more than yourself." —Thomas Jefferson
Last Edit: September 14, 2007, 09:06:47 AM by Crafty_Dog
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Posts: 52618
Re: Our Founding Fathers:
Reply #6 on:
September 17, 2007, 08:52:45 AM »
"[T]he present Constitution is the standard to which we are to
cling. Under its banners, bona fide must we combat our political
foes - rejecting all changes but through the channel itself
provides for amendments."
-- Alexander Hamilton (letter to James Bayard, April 1802)
Reference: Selected Writings and Speeches of Alexander Hamilton,
Frisch, ed. (511)
"Should, hereafter, those incited by the lust of power and prompted by the Supineness or venality of their Constituents, overleap the known barriers of this Constitution and violate the unalienable rights of humanity: it will only serve to shew, that no compact among men (however provident in its construction and sacred in its ratification) can be pronounced everlasting an inviolable." —George Washington, First Inaugural Address
"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America... Done... the seventeenth day of September, in the year of our LORD one thousand seven hundred and eighty seven." —George Washington and the delegates
"In questions of power, then, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution." —Thomas Jefferson
IChThUS IMPRIMIS
"All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of superintending providence in our favor. To that kind providence we owe this happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten that powerful friend? Or do we imagine that we no longer need his assistance? I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth—that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the Ground without his Notice, is it probable that an Empire can rise without his Aid?" —Benjamin Franklin
"A constitution founded on these principles introduces knowledge among the people, and inspires them with a conscious dignity becoming freemen; a general emulation takes place, which causes good humor, sociability, good manners, and good morals to be general. That elevation of sentiment inspired by such a government, makes the common people brave and enterprising. That ambition which is inspired by it makes them sober, industrious, and frugal." —John Adams
"If it be asked, What is the most sacred duty and the greatest source of our security in a Republic? The answer would be, An inviolable respect for the Constitution and Laws—the first growing out of the last... A sacred respect for the constitutional law is the vital principle, the sustaining energy of a free government." —Alexander Hamilton
"[A]ll Americans should reflect upon the precious heritage of liberty under law passed on to us by our Founding Fathers. This heritage finds its most comprehensive expression in our Constitution. The framing of the Constitution was an arduous task accomplished in the spirit of cooperation and with dedication to the ideals of republican self-government and unalienable God-given human rights that gave transcendent meaning and inspiration to the American Revolution... The wisdom and foresight of the architects of the Constitution are manifest in the fact that it remains a powerful governing tool to the present day. Indeed, a great British statesman has called it 'the most wonderful work ever struck off at a given time by the brain and purpose of man.' For 200 years, people from other lands have come to the United States to participate in the great adventure in self-government begun in Philadelphia in 1787... [A]ll citizens should reread and study this great document and rededicate themselves to the ideals it enshrines." —Ronald Reagan
Last Edit: September 17, 2007, 09:11:25 AM by Crafty_Dog
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Re: Our Founding Fathers:
Reply #7 on:
September 18, 2007, 09:09:09 AM »
"[D]emocracy will soon degenerate into an anarchy, such an anarchy
that every man will do what is right in his own eyes and no man's
life or property or reputation or liberty will be secure, and every
one of these will soon mould itself into a system of subordination
of all the moral virtues and intellectual abilities, all the powers
of wealth, beauty, wit and science, to the wanton pleasures, the
capricious will, and the execrable cruelty of one or a very few."
-- John Adams (An Essay on Man's Lust for Power, 29 August 1763)
Reference: Original Intent, Barton (338); original The Papers of
John Adams, Taylor, ed., vol. 1 (83)
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Posts: 52618
Re: Our Founding Fathers:
Reply #8 on:
September 19, 2007, 05:29:06 AM »
"The steady character of our countrymen is a rock to which we
may safely moor; and notwithstanding the efforts of the papers to
disseminate early discontents, I expect that a just, dispassionate
and steady conduct, will at length rally to a proper system the
great body of our country. Unequivocal in principle, reasonable
in manner, we shall be able I hope to do a great deal of good to
the cause of freedom & harmony."
-- Thomas Jefferson (letter to Elbridge Gerry, 29 March 1801)
Reference: Jefferson: Writings, Peterson ed., Library of America
"I consider the foundation of the Constitution as laid on this ground that 'all powers not delegated to the United States, by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states or to the people.' To take a single step beyond the boundaries thus specially drawn around the powers of Congress, is to take possession of a boundless field of power, not longer susceptible of any definition." —Thomas Jefferson
Last Edit: September 19, 2007, 08:29:16 AM by Crafty_Dog
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Posts: 52618
Re: Our Founding Fathers:
Reply #9 on:
September 20, 2007, 06:26:32 AM »
"A good government implies two things; first, fidelity to the
objects of the government; secondly, a knowledge of the means,
by which those objects can be best attained."
-- Joseph Story (Commentaries on the Constitution, 1833)
Reference: Story, Commentaries on the Constitution, 206
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Re: Our Founding Fathers:
Reply #10 on:
September 21, 2007, 06:25:51 AM »
"I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country."
-- Nathan Hale (before being hanged by the British, 22 September
Reference: The Spirit of `Seventy-Six, Commager and Morris (476);
original General William Hull, Campbell (37-38)
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Posts: 52618
Re: Our Founding Fathers:
Reply #11 on:
September 23, 2007, 12:26:36 PM »
The Crisis Number I
by Thomas Paine
Founding Documents > The Crisis Papers >
THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as freedom should not be highly rated. Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has a right (not only to tax) but "to bind us in all cases whatsoever," and if being bound in that manner, is not slavery, then is there not such a thing as slavery upon earth. Even the expression is impious; for so unlimited a power can belong only to God.
Whether the independence of the continent was declared too soon, or delayed too long, I will not now enter into as an argument; my own simple opinion is, that had it been eight months earlier, it would have been much better. We did not make a proper use of last winter, neither could we, while we were in a dependent state. However, the fault, if it were one, was all our own*; we have none to blame but ourselves. But no great deal is lost yet. All that Howe has been doing for this month past, is rather a ravage than a conquest, which the spirit of the Jerseys, a year ago, would have quickly repulsed, and which time and a little resolution will soon recover.
* The present winter is worth an age, if rightly employed; but, if lost or neglected, the whole continent will partake of the evil; and there is no punishment that man does not deserve, be he who, or what, or where he will, that may be the means of sacrificing a season so precious and useful.
I have as little superstition in me as any man living, but my secret opinion has ever been, and still is, that God Almighty will not give up a people to military destruction, or leave them unsupportedly to perish, who have so earnestly and so repeatedly sought to avoid the calamities of war, by every decent method which wisdom could invent. Neither have I so much of the infidel in me, as to suppose that He has relinquished the government of the world, and given us up to the care of devils; and as I do not, I cannot see on what grounds the king of Britain can look up to heaven for help against us: a common murderer, a highwayman, or a house-breaker, has as good a pretence as he.
'Tis surprising to see how rapidly a panic will sometimes run through a country. All nations and ages have been subject to them. Britain has trembled like an ague at the report of a French fleet of flat-bottomed boats; and in the fourteenth [fifteenth] century the whole English army, after ravaging the kingdom of France, was driven back like men petrified with fear; and this brave exploit was performed by a few broken forces collected and headed by a woman, Joan of Arc. Would that heaven might inspire some Jersey maid to spirit up her countrymen, and save her fair fellow sufferers from ravage and ravishment! Yet panics, in some cases, have their uses; they produce as much good as hurt. Their duration is always short; the mind soon grows through them, and acquires a firmer habit than before. But their peculiar advantage is, that they are the touchstones of sincerity and hypocrisy, and bring things and men to light, which might otherwise have lain forever undiscovered. In fact, they have the same effect on secret traitors, which an imaginary apparition would have upon a private murderer. They sift out the hidden thoughts of man, and hold them up in public to the world. Many a disguised Tory has lately shown his head, that shall penitentially solemnize with curses the day on which Howe arrived upon the Delaware.
As I was with the troops at Fort Lee, and marched with them to the edge of Pennsylvania, I am well acquainted with many circumstances, which those who live at a distance know but little or nothing of. Our situation there was exceedingly cramped, the place being a narrow neck of land between the North River and the Hackensack. Our force was inconsiderable, being not one-fourth so great as Howe could bring against us. We had no army at hand to have relieved the garrison, had we shut ourselves up and stood on our defence. Our ammunition, light artillery, and the best part of our stores, had been removed, on the apprehension that Howe would endeavor to penetrate the Jerseys, in which case Fort Lee could be of no use to us; for it must occur to every thinking man, whether in the army or not, that these kind of field forts are only for temporary purposes, and last in use no longer than the enemy directs his force against the particular object which such forts are raised to defend. Such was our situation and condition at Fort Lee on the morning of the 20th of November, when an officer arrived with information that the enemy with 200 boats had landed about seven miles above; Major General [Nathaniel] Green, who commanded the garrison, immediately ordered them under arms, and sent express to General Washington at the town of Hackensack, distant by the way of the ferry = six miles. Our first object was to secure the bridge over the Hackensack, which laid up the river between the enemy and us, about six miles from us, and three from them. General Washington arrived in about three-quarters of an hour, and marched at the head of the troops towards the bridge, which place I expected we should have a brush for; however, they did not choose to dispute it with us, and the greatest part of our troops went over the bridge, the rest over the ferry, except some which passed at a mill on a small creek, between the bridge and the ferry, and made their way through some marshy grounds up to the town of Hackensack, and there passed the river. We brought off as much baggage as the wagons could contain, the rest was lost. The simple object was to bring off the garrison, and march them on till they could be strengthened by the Jersey or Pennsylvania militia, so as to be enabled to make a stand. We staid four days at Newark, collected our out-posts with some of the Jersey militia, and marched out twice to meet the enemy, on being informed that they were advancing, though our numbers were greatly inferior to theirs. Howe, in my little opinion, committed a great error in generalship in not throwing a body of forces off from Staten Island through Amboy, by which means he might have seized all our stores at Brunswick, and intercepted our march into Pennsylvania; but if we believe the power of hell to be limited, we must likewise believe that their agents are under some providential control.
I shall not now attempt to give all the particulars of our retreat to the Delaware; suffice it for the present to say, that both officers and men, though greatly harassed and fatigued, frequently without rest, covering, or provision, the inevitable consequences of a long retreat, bore it with a manly and martial spirit. All their wishes were one, which was, that the country would turn out and help them to drive the enemy back. Voltaire has remarked that King William never appeared to full advantage but in difficulties and in action; the same remark may be made on General Washington, for the character fits him. There is a natural firmness in some minds which cannot be unlocked by trifles, but which, when unlocked, discovers a cabinet of fortitude; and I reckon it among those kind of public blessings, which we do not immediately see, that God hath blessed him with uninterrupted health, and given him a mind that can even flourish upon care.
I shall conclude this paper with some miscellaneous remarks on the state of our affairs; and shall begin with asking the following question, Why is it that the enemy have left the New England provinces, and made these middle ones the seat of war? The answer is easy: New England is not infested with Tories, and we are. I have been tender in raising the cry against these men, and used numberless arguments to show them their danger, but it will not do to sacrifice a world either to their folly or their baseness. The period is now arrived, in which either they or we must change our sentiments, or one or both must fall. And what is a Tory? Good God! what is he? I should not be afraid to go with a hundred Whigs against a thousand Tories, were they to attempt to get into arms. Every Tory is a coward; for servile, slavish, self-interested fear is the foundation of Toryism; and a man under such influence, though he may be cruel, never can be brave.
BUT, before the line of irrecoverable separation be drawn between us, let us reason the matter together: Your conduct is an invitation to the enemy, yet not one in a thousand of you has heart enough to join him. Howe is as much deceived by you as the American cause is injured by you. He expects you will all take up arms, and flock to his standard, with muskets on your shoulders. Your opinions are of no use to him, unless you support him personally, for 'tis soldiers, and not Tories, that he wants.
I once felt all that kind of anger, which a man ought to feel, against the mean principles that are held by the Tories: a noted one, who kept a tavern at Amboy, was standing at his door, with as pretty a child in his hand, about eight or nine years old, as I ever saw, and after speaking his mind as freely as he thought was prudent, finished with this unfatherly expression, "Well! give me peace in my day." Not a man lives on the continent but fully believes that a separation must some time or other finally take place, and a generous parent should have said, "If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace;" and this single reflection, well applied, is sufficient to awaken every man to duty. Not a place upon earth might be so happy as America. Her situation is remote from all the wrangling world, and she has nothing to do but to trade with them. A man can distinguish himself between temper and principle, and I am as confident, as I am that God governs the world, that America will never be happy till she gets clear of foreign dominion. Wars, without ceasing, will break out till that period arrives, and the continent must in the end be conqueror; for though the flame of liberty may sometimes cease to shine, the coal can never expire.
AMERICA did not, nor does not want force; but she wanted a proper application of that force. Wisdom is not the purchase of a day, and it is no wonder that we should err at the first setting off. From an excess of tenderness, we were unwilling to raise an army, and trusted our cause to the temporary defence of a well-meaning militia. A summer's experience has now taught us better; yet with those troops, while they were collected, we were able to set bounds to the progress of the enemy, and, thank God! they are again assembling. I always considered militia as the best troops in the world for a sudden exertion, but they will not do for a long campaign. Howe, it is probable, will make an attempt on this city [Philadelphia]; should he fail on this side the Delaware, he is ruined. If he succeeds, our cause is not ruined. He stakes all on his side against a part on ours; admitting he succeeds, the consequence will be, that armies from both ends of the continent will march to assist their suffering friends in the middle states; for he cannot go everywhere, it is impossible. I consider Howe as the greatest enemy the Tories have; he is bringing a war into their country, which, had it not been for him and partly for themselves, they had been clear of. Should he now be expelled, I wish with all the devotion of a Christian, that the names of Whig and Tory may never more be mentioned; but should the Tories give him encouragement to come, or assistance if he come, I as sincerely wish that our next year's arms may expel them from the continent, and the Congress appropriate their possessions to the relief of those who have suffered in well-doing. A single successful battle next year will settle the whole. America could carry on a two years' war by the confiscation of the property of disaffected persons, and be made happy by their expulsion. Say not that this is revenge, call it rather the soft resentment of a suffering people, who, having no object in view but the good of all, have staked their own all upon a seemingly doubtful event. Yet it is folly to argue against determined hardness; eloquence may strike the ear, and the language of sorrow draw forth the tear of compassion, but nothing can reach the heart that is steeled with prejudice.
QUITTING this class of men, I turn with the warm ardor of a friend to those who have nobly stood, and are yet determined to stand the matter out: I call not upon a few, but upon all: not on this state or that state, but on every state: up and help us; lay your shoulders to the wheel; better have too much force than too little, when so great an object is at stake. Let it be told to the future world, that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive, that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet and to repulse it. Say not that thousands are gone, turn out your tens of thousands; throw not the burden of the day upon Providence, but "show your faith by your works," that God may bless you. It matters not where you live, or what rank of life you hold, the evil or the blessing will reach you all. The far and the near, the home counties and the back, the rich and the poor, will suffer or rejoice alike. The heart that feels not now is dead; the blood of his children will curse his cowardice, who shrinks back at a time when a little might have saved the whole, and made them happy. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death. My own line of reasoning is to myself as straight and clear as a ray of light. Not all the treasures of the world, so far as I believe, could have induced me to support an offensive war, for I think it murder; but if a thief breaks into my house, burns and destroys my property, and kills or threatens to kill me, or those that are in it, and to "bind me in all cases whatsoever" to his absolute will, am I to suffer it? What signifies it to me, whether he who does it is a king or a common man; my countryman or not my countryman; whether it be done by an individual villain, or an army of them? If we reason to the root of things we shall find no difference; neither can any just cause be assigned why we should punish in the one case and pardon in the other. Let them call me rebel and welcome, I feel no concern from it; but I should suffer the misery of devils, were I to make a whore of my soul by swearing allegiance to one whose character is that of a sottish, stupid, stubborn, worthless, brutish man. I conceive likewise a horrid idea in receiving mercy from a being, who at the last day shall be shrieking to the rocks and mountains to cover him, and fleeing with terror from the orphan, the widow, and the slain of America.
THERE are cases which cannot be overdone by language, and this is one. There are persons, too, who see not the full extent of the evil which threatens them; they solace themselves with hopes that the enemy, if he succeed, will be merciful. It is the madness of folly, to expect mercy from those who have refused to do justice; and even mercy, where conquest is the object, is only a trick of war; the cunning of the fox is as murderous as the violence of the wolf, and we ought to guard equally against both. Howe's first object is, partly by threats and partly by promises, to terrify or seduce the people to deliver up their arms and receive mercy. The ministry recommended the same plan to Gage, and this is what the tories call making their peace, "a peace which passeth all understanding" indeed! A peace which would be the immediate forerunner of a worse ruin than any we have yet thought of. Ye men of Pennsylvania, do reason upon these things! Were the back counties to give up their arms, they would fall an easy prey to the Indians, who are all armed: this perhaps is what some Tories would not be sorry for. Were the home counties to deliver up their arms, they would be exposed to the resentment of the back counties who would then have it in their power to chastise their defection at pleasure. And were any one state to give up its arms, that state must be garrisoned by all Howe's army of Britons and Hessians to preserve it from the anger of the rest. Mutual fear is the principal link in the chain of mutual love, and woe be to that state that breaks the compact. Howe is mercifully inviting you to barbarous destruction, and men must be either rogues or fools that will not see it. I dwell not upon the vapors of imagination; I bring reason to your ears, and, in language as plain as A, B, C, hold up truth to your eyes.
I thank God, that I fear not. I see no real cause for fear. I know our situation well, and can see the way out of it. While our army was collected, Howe dared not risk a battle; and it is no credit to him that he decamped from the White Plains, and waited a mean opportunity to ravage the defenceless Jerseys; but it is great credit to us, that, with a handful of men, we sustained an orderly retreat for near an hundred miles, brought off our ammunition, all our field pieces, the greatest part of our stores, and had four rivers to pass. None can say that our retreat was precipitate, for we were near three weeks in performing it, that the country might have time to come in. Twice we marched back to meet the enemy, and remained out till dark. The sign of fear was not seen in our camp, and had not some of the cowardly and disaffected inhabitants spread false alarms through the country, the Jerseys had never been ravaged. Once more we are again collected and collecting; our new army at both ends of the continent is recruiting fast, and we shall be able to open the next campaign with sixty thousand men, well armed and clothed. This is our situation, and who will may know it. By perseverance and fortitude we have the prospect of a glorious issue; by cowardice and submission, the sad choice of a variety of evils- a ravaged country- a depopulated city- habitations without safety, and slavery without hope- our homes turned into barracks and bawdy-houses for Hessians, and a future race to provide for, whose fathers we shall doubt of. Look on this picture and weep over it! and if there yet remains one thoughtless wretch who believes it not, let him suffer it unlamented.
Philadelphia, December 19, 1776.
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Alexander Hamilton
Reply #12 on:
September 24, 2007, 07:29:30 AM »
"The State governments possess inherent advantages, which will
ever give them an influence and ascendancy over the National
Government, and will for ever preclude the possibility of federal
encroachments. That their liberties, indeed, can be subverted
by the federal head, is repugnant to every rule of political
-- Alexander Hamilton (speech to the New York Ratifying Convention,
17 June 1788)
Reference: The Works of Alexander Hamilton, Henry Cabot Lodge,
ed., vol.2 (17)
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John Adams
Reply #13 on:
September 25, 2007, 06:39:02 AM »
"Let the pulpit resound with the doctrine and sentiments of
religious liberty. Let us hear of the dignity of man's nature,
and the noble rank he holds among the works of God... Let it
be known that British liberties are not the grants of princes
and parliaments."
-- John Adams (Dissertation on the Canon and Feudal Law, 1765)
Reference: The Most Nearly Perfect Solution, Guinness, 3-26;
and John Adams and the Spirit of Liberty, Thompson, 54.
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Posts: 52618
Re: Our Founding Fathers:
Reply #14 on:
September 26, 2007, 05:28:50 AM »
"We have therefore to resolve to conquer or die: Our won Country's
Honor, all call upon us for vigorous and manly exertion, and if we
now shamefully fail, we shall become infamous to the whole world.
Let us therefore rely upon the goodness of the Cause, and the
aid of the supreme Being, in whose hands Victory is, to animate
and encourage us to great and noble Actions. "
-- George Washington (General Orders, 2 July 1776)
Reference: George Washington: A Collection, W.B. Allen, ed. (71)
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Posts: 52618
Re: Our Founding Fathers:
Reply #15 on:
September 27, 2007, 05:12:00 AM »
"No political truth is certainly of greater intrinsic value, or is
stamped with the authority of more enlightened patrons of liberty
than that on which the objection is founded. The accumulation of
all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same
hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary,
self-appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very
definition of tyranny."
-- James Madison (Federalist No. 48, 1 February 1788)
Reference: Madison, Federalist No. 47.
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Posts: 52618
Re: Our Founding Fathers:
Reply #16 on:
September 28, 2007, 11:04:32 PM »
"A Man may, if he know not how to save, keep his Nose to the
Grindstone, and die not wirth a Groat at last."
-- Benjamin Franklin (Poor Richard's Almanack, 1742)
Reference: Poor Richard: The Almanacks for the Years, 1733-1758,
intro by Van Wyck Brooks (94)
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Posts: 52618
Re: Our Founding Fathers:
Reply #17 on:
October 01, 2007, 04:00:04 AM »
The Patriot Post
Founders' Quote Daily
"The great leading objects of the federal government, in which
revenue is concerned, are to maintain domestic peace, and provide
for the common defense. In these are comprehended the regulation
of commerce that is, the whole system of foreign intercourse;
the support of armies and navies, and of the civil administration."
-- Alexander Hamilton (remarks to the New York Ratifying
Convention, June 1788)
Reference: Selected Writings and Speeches of Alexander Hamilton,
Frisch, ed. (228-229)
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Samuel Adams
Reply #18 on:
October 02, 2007, 05:11:23 PM »
"No people will tamely surrender their Liberties, nor can
any be easily subdued, when knowledge is diffusd and Virtue is
preservd. On the Contrary, when People are universally ignorant,
and debauchd in their Manners, they will sink under their own
weight without the Aid of foreign Invaders."
-- Samuel Adams (letter to James Warren, 4 November 1775)
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John Adams
Reply #19 on:
October 04, 2007, 09:54:47 AM »
"It already appears, that there must be in every society of men
superiors and inferiors, because God has laid in the constitution
and course of nature the foundations of the distinction."
-- John Adams (Thoughts on Government, 1776)
Reference: The Works of John Adams, Charles Adams, ed., 427.
"[J]udges, therefore, should be always men of learning and experience in the laws, of exemplary morals, great patience, calmness, coolness, and attention. Their minds should not be distracted with jarring interests; they should not be dependent upon any man, or body of men." —John Adams
Patriot Post
"In times of peace the people look most to their representatives;
but in war, to the executive solely."
-- Thomas Jefferson (letter to Caeser Rodney, 10 February 1810)
Reference: Jefferson: Writings, Peterson ed., Library of America
Last Edit: October 04, 2007, 10:09:19 AM by Crafty_Dog
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Thomas Paine
Reply #20 on:
October 05, 2007, 05:09:24 AM »
"The times that tried men's souls are over-and the greatest and
completest revolution the world ever knew, gloriously and happily
-- Thomas Paine (The American Crisis, No. 13, 1783)
Reference: The Spirit of `Seventy-Six, Commager and Morris (109);
original Writings of Pain, Conway, ed., vol. 1 (370-375)
Power User
Posts: 52618
Reply #21 on:
October 08, 2007, 03:20:35 AM »
"Wise politicians will be cautious about fettering the government
with restrictions that cannot be observed, because they know that
every break of the fundamental laws, though dictated by necessity,
impairs that sacred reverence which ought to be maintained in
the breast of rulers towards the constitution of a country. "
-- Alexander Hamilton (Federalist No. 25, 21 December 1787)
Reference: Hamilton, Federalist No. 25 (167)
Power User
Posts: 52618
Benjamin Franklin
Reply #22 on:
October 10, 2007, 06:36:38 AM »
"But they have two other Rights; those of sitting when they
please, and as long as they please, in which methinks they have the
advantage of your Parliament; for they cannot be dissolved by the
Breath of a Minister, or sent packing as you were the other day,
when it was your earnest desire to have remained longer together."
-- Benjamin Franklin (letter to William Strahan, 19 August 1784)
Reference: Franklin Collected Works, Lemay, ed., 1099.
Power User
Posts: 52618
Wilson on slavery
Reply #23 on:
October 11, 2007, 03:52:17 AM »
"Slavery, or an absolute and unlimited power in the master over
the life and fortune of the slave, is unauthorized by the common
law.... The reasons which we sometimes see assigned for the origin
and the continuance of slavery appear, when examined to the bottom,
to be built upon a false foundation. In the enjoyment of their
persons and of their property, the common law protects all."
-- James Wilson (The Natural Rights of Individuals, 1804)
Reference: Original Intent, Barton (293); original The Works of
the Honorable James Wilson, B. Wilson, ed., vol. 2 (488)
Power User
Posts: 52618
Re: Our Founding Fathers:
Reply #24 on:
October 17, 2007, 08:43:07 AM »
"I have not yet begun to fight!"
-- John Paul Jones (response to enemy demand to surrender, 23
September 1779)
Reference: The Spirit of `Seventy-Six, Commager and Morris (948);
original Life and Character of Jones, Sherburne (126-129)
"If by the liberty of the press were understood merely the liberty
of discussing the propriety of public measures and political
opinions, let us have as much of it as you please: But if it means
the liberty of affronting, calumniating and defaming one another,
I, for my part, own myself willing to part with my share of it,
whenever our legislators shall please so to alter the law and
shall chearfully consent to exchange my liberty of abusing others
for the privilege of not being abused myself."
-- Benjamin Franklin (An Account of the Supremest Court of
Judicature in Pennsylvania, viz. The Court of the Press, 12
September 1789)
Reference: Franklin Collected Works, Lemay, ed., 1152.
"It will not be doubted, that with reference either to
individual, or National Welfare, Agriculture is of primary
importance. In proportion as Nations advance in population, and
other circumstances of maturity, this truth becomes more apparent;
and renders the cultivation of the Soil more and more, an object
of public patronage."
-- George Washington (Eighth Annual Message to Congress, 1796)
Reference: Washington's Maxims, 67.
"The construction applied... to those parts of the Constitution of the United States which delegate Congress a power... ought not to be construed as themselves to give unlimited powers." —Thomas Jefferson
"But if we are to be told by a foreign Power ... what we shall
do, and what we shall not do, we have Independence yet to seek,
and have contended hitherto for very little."
-- George Washington (letter to Alexander Hamilton, 8 May 1796)
Reference: The Writings of George Washington, Fitzpatrick, ed.,
vol. 35 (40)
"Freedom had been hunted round the globe; reason was considered as rebellion; and the slavery of fear had made men afraid to think. But such is the irresistible nature of truth, that all it asks, and all it wants, is the liberty of appearing."—Thomas Paine
Power User
Posts: 52618
Re: Our Founding Fathers:
Reply #25 on:
October 18, 2007, 06:15:37 AM »
"If there is a form of government, then, whose principle and
foundation is virtue, will not every sober man acknowledge it
better calculated to promote the general happiness than any
other form?"
-- John Adams (Thoughts on Government, 1776)
Reference: The Works of John Adams, Charles Adams, ed., 194.
Power User
Posts: 52618
Re: Our Founding Fathers:
Reply #26 on:
October 19, 2007, 05:32:52 AM »
"They define a republic to be a government of laws, and not
of men."
-- John Adams (Novanglus No. 7, 6 March 1775)
Reference: Papers of John Adams, Taylor, ed., vol. 2 (314)
Power User
Posts: 52618
Re: Our Founding Fathers:
Reply #27 on:
October 23, 2007, 11:57:10 AM »
"A Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever." —John Adams
"The members of the legislative department...are numerous.
They are distributed and dwell among the people at large.
Their connections of blood, of friendship, and of acquaintance
embrace a great proportion of the most influential part of the
society...they are more immediately the confidential guardians
of their rights and liberties."
-- James Madison (Federalist No. 50, 5 February 1788)
Reference: Madison, Federalist No. 50 (316)
"Arbitrary power is most easily established on the ruins of liberty abused to licentiousness." —George Washington
f you speak of solid information and sound judgement, Colonel
Washington is, unquestionably the greatest man on that floor."
-- Patrick Henry (on George Washington, October 1775)
Reference: The Life and Character of Patrick Henry, Writ (132)
Power User
Posts: 52618
Re: Our Founding Fathers:
Reply #28 on:
October 24, 2007, 08:44:54 AM »
"It should be your care, therefore, and mine, to elevate the minds of our children and exalt their courage; to accelerate and animate their industry and activity; to excite in them an habitual contempt of meanness, abhorrence of injustice and inhumanity, and an ambition to excel in every capacity, faculty, and virtue." —John Adams
"The right of freely examining public characters and measures, and
of free communication among the people thereon . . . has ever been
justly deemed the only effectual guardian of every other right."
-- James Madison (Virginia Resolutions, 24 December 1798)
Reference: Documents of American History, Commager, vol. 1 (182)
Last Edit: October 24, 2007, 08:50:27 AM by Crafty_Dog
Power User
Posts: 52618
Re: Our Founding Fathers:
Reply #29 on:
October 25, 2007, 03:16:23 AM »
"It does not take a majority to prevail...but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men."
—Samuel Adams
"Under all those disadvantages no men ever show more spirit or
prudence than ours. In my opinion nothing but virtue has kept
our army together through this campaign."
-- Colonel John Brooks (letter to a friend, 5 January 1778)
Reference: The Spirit of `Seventy-Six, Commager and Morris (649);
original Massachusets Histrocal Society Procedings, Brooks,
vol. 13 (243-
"Posterity — you will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it."
—John Quincy Adams
Last Edit: October 25, 2007, 03:22:49 AM by Crafty_Dog
Power User
Posts: 52618
Re: Our Founding Fathers:
Reply #30 on:
October 26, 2007, 06:07:30 AM »
"It has ever been my hobby-horse to see rising in America an empire
of liberty, and a prospect of two or three hundred millions of
freemen, without one noble or one king among them. You say it
is impossible. If I should agree with you in this, I would still
say, let us try the experiment, and preserve our equality as long
as we can. A better system of education for the common people
might preserve them long from such artificial inequalities as are
prejudicial to society, by confounding the natural distinctions
of right and wrong, virtue and vice."
-- John Adams (letter to Count Sarsfield, 3 February 1786)
Reference: Our Sacred Honor, Bennett, 264.
Power User
Posts: 52618
Re: Our Founding Fathers:
Reply #31 on:
October 29, 2007, 09:04:28 AM »
"They are not to do anything they please to provide for the general welfare, but only to lay taxes for that purpose. To consider the latter phrase not as describing the purpose of the first, but as giving a distinct and independent power to do any act they please which may be good for the Union, would render all the preceding and subsequent enumerations of power completely useless." —Thomas Jefferson
The following is from economist Walter Williams who while certainly not a Founding Father, equally certainly discusses a very pertinent matter:
"In each new Congress since 1995, Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) has introduced the Enumerated Powers Act (HR 1359)... Simply put, if enacted, the Enumerated Powers Act would require Congress to specify the basis of authority in the U.S. Constitution for the enactment of laws and other congressional actions. HR 1359 has 28 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives. When Shadegg introduced the Enumerated Powers Act, he explained that the Constitution gives the federal government great, but limited, powers. Its framers granted Congress, as the central mechanism for protecting liberty, specific rather than general powers. The Constitution gives Congress 18 specific enumerated powers, spelled out mostly in Article 1, Section 8. The framers reinforced that enumeration by the 10th Amendment, which reads: 'The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved for the States respectively, or to the people.' Just a few of the numerous statements by our founders demonstrate that their vision and the vision of Shadegg's Enumerated Powers Act are one and the same... I salute the bravery of Rep. Shadegg and the 28 co-sponsors of the Enumerated Powers Act. They have a monumental struggle. Congress is not alone in its constitutional contempt, but is joined by the White House and particularly the constitutionally derelict U.S. Supreme Court." —Walter Williams
Power User
Posts: 52618
Re: Our Founding Fathers:
Reply #32 on:
October 30, 2007, 09:07:04 AM »
"History by apprising [citizens] of the past will enable them
to judge of the future; it will avail them of the experience of
other times and other nations; it will qualify them as judges
of the actions and designs of men; it will enable them to know
ambition under every disguise it may assume; and knowing it,
to defeat its views."
-- Thomas Jefferson (Notes on the State of Virginia, Query 14,
Power User
Posts: 52618
Joseph Story
Reply #33 on:
October 31, 2007, 09:33:25 AM »
From: "PatriotPost.US" <firstname.lastname@example.com>
To: <email@example.com>
Subject: Founders' Quote Daily
Date: Wednesday, October 31, 2007 3:01 AM
The Patriot Post
Founders' Quote Daily
"On the other hand, the duty imposed upon him to take care,
that the laws be faithfully executed, follows out the strong
injunctions of his oath of office, that he will "preserve,
protect, and defend the constitution." The great object of the
executive department is to accomplish this purpose; and without
it, be the form of government whatever it may, it will be utterly
worthless for offence, or defence; for the redress of grievances,
or the protection of rights; for the happiness, or good order,
or safety of the people."
-- Joseph Story (Commentaries on the Constitution, 1833)
Reference: Story, Commentaries on the Constitution, 576.
Power User
Posts: 52618
Re: Our Founding Fathers:
Reply #34 on:
November 01, 2007, 04:56:24 AM »
"It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth
can stand by itself. Subject opinion to coercion: whom will you
make your inquisitors?"
-- Thomas Jefferson (Notes on the State of Virginia, Query 17,
Reference: Jefferson: Writings, Peterson ed., Library of America
Power User
Posts: 52618
Re: Our Founding Fathers:
Reply #35 on:
November 02, 2007, 03:23:20 AM »
"It will be worthy of a free, enlightened, and, at no distant
period, a great Nation, to give to mankind the magnanimous and
too novel example of a People always guided by an exalted justice
and benevolence."
-- George Washington (Farewell Address, 19 September 1796)
Reference: George Washington: A Collection, W.B. Allen, ed. (522)
Power User
Posts: 52618
Re: Our Founding Fathers:
Reply #36 on:
November 05, 2007, 06:58:17 AM »
"If we desire to insult, we must be able to repel it; if we
desire to secure peace, one of the most powerful instruments of
our rising prosperity, it must be known, that we are at all times
ready for War."
-- George Washington (fifth annual address to Congress, 13
December 1793)
Power User
Posts: 52618
Re: Our Founding Fathers:
Reply #37 on:
November 07, 2007, 06:03:51 AM »
The Patriot Post
Founders' Quote Daily
"He [King George] has waged cruel war against human nature itself,
violating its most sacred right of life and liberty in the persons
of a distant people who never offended him, captivating & carrying
them into slavery in another hemisphere, or to incur miserable
death in their transportation thither."
-- Thomas Jefferson (deleted portion of a draft of the Declaration
of Independence, June 1776)
Reference: Jefferson: Writings, Peterson ed., Library of America
Power User
Posts: 52618
Re: Our Founding Fathers:
Reply #38 on:
November 08, 2007, 10:04:40 AM »
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with
the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure."
-- Thomas Jefferson (letter to William Stephens Smith, 13
November 1787)
Reference: Jefferson: Writings, Peterson ed., Library of America
Power User
Posts: 52618
George Washington
Reply #39 on:
November 09, 2007, 09:47:40 AM »
"Gentlemen, you will permit me to put on my spectacles, for,
I have grown not only gray, but almost blind in the service of
my country."
-- George Washington (upon fumbling for his glasses before
delivering the Newburgh Address, 15 March 1783)
Reference: George Washington in the American Revolution, Flexner
Power User
Posts: 52618
Re: Our Founding Fathers:
Reply #40 on:
November 10, 2007, 06:44:25 PM »
No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government" -- Thomas Jefferson, 1 Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334
Power User
Posts: 52618
George Washington
Reply #41 on:
November 11, 2007, 07:47:03 AM »
Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action.
George Washington
Power User
Posts: 52618
Benjamin Franklin
Reply #42 on:
November 12, 2007, 04:22:07 PM »
"Human Felicity is produced not so much by great Pieces of good
Fortune that seldom happen, as by little Advantages that occur
every Day."
-- Benjamin Franklin (Autobiography, 1771)
Reference: Autobiography, Franklin (207) [Sheehan (3:3)]
Power User
Posts: 52618
Re: Our Founding Fathers:
Reply #43 on:
November 13, 2007, 04:05:18 AM »
"Nothing...is unchangeable but the inherent and unalienable rights
of man."
-- Thomas Jefferson (letter to John Cartwright, 1824)
Reference: The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Lipscomb and Bergh,
eds., 16:48.
Power User
Posts: 52618
Jefferson , Franklin
Reply #44 on:
November 14, 2007, 09:03:21 AM »
"Newspapers... serve as chimnies to carry off noxious vapors and smoke." —Thomas Jefferson
"Be in general virtuous, and you will be happy."
-- Benjamin Franklin (letter to John Alleyne, 9 August 1768)
Reference: The Works of Benjamin Franklin, Sparks, ed., vol. 7
Power User
Posts: 52618
Jefferson on taxation
Reply #45 on:
November 15, 2007, 06:33:11 AM »
"Excessive taxation...will carry reason and reflection to every
man's door, and particularly in the hour of election."
-- Thomas Jefferson (letter to John Taylor, 1798)
Reference: The Writings of Thomas Jefferson (Memorial Edition),
Lipscomb and Bergh, eds., 10:64.
Power User
Posts: 52618
Jefferson on fighting government expansion
Reply #46 on:
November 16, 2007, 06:34:49 AM »
"The multiplication of public offices, increase of expense beyond
income, growth and entailment of a public debt, are indications
soliciting the employment of the pruning knife."
-- Thomas Jefferson (letter to Spencer Roane, 9 March 1821)
Reference: The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Memorial Edition,
Lipscomb and Bergh, eds., vol. 15 (325)
Power User
Posts: 52618
Re: Our Founding Fathers:
Reply #47 on:
November 16, 2007, 08:22:15 AM »
"The Constitution shall never be construed... to prevent the people of the United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms." —Samuel Adams
"The right of the people to keep and bear arms"
By Mark Alexander
There is yet another ideological contest brewing in our nation's capitol, this one between two distinctively different groups in the federal judiciary: constitutional constructionists, who render decisions based on the "original intent" of our nation's founding document, and judicial despots, who endorse the dangerously errant notion of a "Living Constitution."
This is no trivial contest, however, and the outcome will have significant consequences across the nation.
The subject of this dispute is Washington, DC's "Firearms Control Regulations Act of 1975," which prohibits residents from owning handguns, ostensibly to deter so-called "gun violence."
Of course, suggesting that violence is a "gun problem" ignores the real problem—that of socio-pathology and the culture which nurtures it. (See the Congressional Testimony of Darrell Scott, father of Rachel Scott, one of the children murdered at Columbine High School in 1999.)
In 1960 the frequency of violent crime in the District was 554/100,000 residents, and the murder rate was 10/100,000. In 2006, the frequency of violent crime in the District was 1,512/100,000 residents, and the murder rate was 29/100,000. That is a 200 percent increase, and according to the latest data from Washington Metro Police, violent crime is up 12 percent thus far this year.
Fact is, firearm restrictions on law-abiding citizens in Washington, and other urban centers, have created more victims while protecting offenders. There is nothing new about this correlation. As Thomas Jefferson noted in his Commonplace Book (quoting Cesare Beccaria), "Laws that forbid the carrying of arms... disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes... Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man."
Simply put, violent predators prefer victims who have no means of self defense.
Most pro and con arguments about firearms are constructed around the crime debate, including excellent research by John Lott, whose book More Guns, Less Crime, clearly establishes that restrictive gun policies lead to higher crime rates.
The arguments from both sides in the current case in Washington are also constructed around the crime issue. However, the Second Amendment debate is not about crime, but about the rule of law—constitutional law. Fortunately, the appellate court for DC is making this distinction.
In March of this year, the U.S. District Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia struck down that federal jurisdiction's restrictions on gun ownership, finding that the District is violating the Second Amendment's prohibition on government infringement of "the right of the people to keep and bear arms." The case has been appealed to the Supreme Court, and should the High Court accept the case, its ruling would be the first substantial decision on the scope of the Second Amendment since 1939.
At issue: Does the Second Amendment prohibit the government from infringing on the individual rights of citizens to keep and bear arms, or does it restrict the central government from infringing on the rights of the several states to maintain well-armed militias?
The intent of the Second Amendment, however, was abundantly clear to our Founders.
Indeed, in the most authoritative explication of our Constitution, The Federalist Papers, its principal author, James Madison, wrote in No. 46, "The advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation... forms a barrier against the enterprises of ambition, more insurmountable than any..."
Alexander Hamilton was equally unambiguous on the importance of arms to a republic, writing in Federalist No. 28, "If the representatives of the people betray their constituents, there is then no recourse left but in the exertion of that original right of self-defense..."
Justice Joseph Story, appointed to the Supreme Court by James Madison, wrote, "The right of the citizens to keep and bear arms has justly been considered as the palladium of the liberties of a republic; since it offers a strong moral check against the usurpation and arbitrary power of rulers; and will generally, even if these are successful in the first instance, enable the people to resist and triumph over them."
In other words, the right of the people to bear arms is the most essential of the rights enumerated in our Constitution, because it ensures the preservation of all other rights.
Accordingly, the appellate court, in a 2-1 decision, ruled, "The Second Amendment protects an individual right to keep and bear arms. That right existed prior to the formation of the new government under the Constitution and was premised on the private use of arms for activities such as hunting and self-defense, the latter being understood as resistance to either private lawlessness or the depredations of a tyrannical government... The individual right facilitated militia service by ensuring that citizens would not be barred from keeping the arms they would need when called forth for militia duty."
Additionally, the majority opinion notes, "The activities [the amendment] protects are not limited to militia service, nor is an individual's enjoyment of the right contingent upon his or her continued or intermittent enrollment in the militia."
The dissenting judge's conclusion did not dispute the plain language of the Second Amendment's prohibition on government, but he insists that the District is not a state, and is, thus, not subject to the prohibition.
This is ridiculous, of course, since such a conclusion would imply, by extension, that District residents are not subject to any protection under the Constitution.
The real contest here is one between activist judges, those who amend the Constitution by judicial diktat rather than its clearly prescribed method stipulated in Article V, and constructionist judges, those who properly render legal interpretation based on the Constitution's "original intent."
As Hamilton wrote in Federalist No. 81, "[T]here is not a syllable in the [Constitution] under consideration which directly empowers the national courts to construe the laws according to the spirit of the Constitution..." In other words, nothing in the Constitution gives judges the right to declare the Constitution means anything beyond the scope of its plain language.
However, activist judges, including those among generations of High Court justices, have historically construed the Second Amendment through a pinhole, while viewing the First Amendment through a wide-angle lens.
For example, though the First Amendment plainly says, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," judicial activists interpret this plain language to mean a public school coach can't offer a simple prayer before a game.
Equally absurd, they argue that the First Amendment's "freedom of speech" clause means burning the American flag, exploiting women for "adult entertainment," or using taxpayer dollars to fund works of "art" such as a crucifix immersed in a glass of human waste.
If these same judicial despots misconstrued the Second Amendment as broadly as they do the first, Americans would have nukes to defend themselves from noisy neighbors.
The appeals case regarding the constitutionality of DC's Firearms Control Regulations Act of 1975 is not about crime prevention, or whether the District is subject to prohibitions in the Bill of Rights. It is about the essence of our Constitution's most important assurance that all Americans have the right to defend themselves against both predatory criminals and tyrannical governments. It is about the need for the High Court to reaffirm this right and stop the incremental encroachment of said right by infringements like that in the District, or more egregious encroachments like those found within the Feinstein-Schumer gun-control act.
Of self-government's "important principles," Thomas Jefferson wrote, "It is [the peoples'] right and duty to be at all times armed." Indeed, the right of the people to keep and bear arms should not be infringed.
Power User
Posts: 52618
John Adams, Webster, Reagan
Reply #48 on:
November 19, 2007, 04:46:20 AM »
"It is the duty of all men in society, publicly, and at stated
seasons, to worship the SUPREME BEING, the great Creator
and Preserver of the universe. And no subject shall be hurt,
molested, or restrained, in his person, liberty, or estate, for
worshipping GOD in the manner most agreeable to the dictates of
his own conscience; or for his religious profession or sentiments;
provided he doth not disturb the public peace, or obstruct others
in their religious worship."
-- John Adams (Thoughts on Government, 1776)
Reference: The Works of John Adams, Charles Adams, ed., 221.
"The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops that can be, on any pretence, raised in the United States." —Noah Webster
"The gun has been called the great equalizer, meaning that a small person with a gun is equal to a large person, but it is a great equalizer in another way, too. It insures that the people are the equal of their government whenever that government forgets that it is servant and not master of the governed. When the British forgot that they got a revolution. And, as a result, we Americans got a Constitution; a Constitution that, as those who wrote it were determined, would keep men free. If we give up part of that Constitution we give up part of our freedom and increase the chance that we will lose it all. I am not ready to take that risk. I believe that the right of the citizen to keep and bear arms must not be infringed if liberty in America is to survive." —Ronald Reagan
Last Edit: November 19, 2007, 08:23:07 AM by Crafty_Dog
Power User
Posts: 52618
James Madison
Reply #49 on:
November 20, 2007, 03:39:48 AM »
"It is the duty of every man to render to the Creator such homage,
and such only, as he believes to be acceptable to him. This duty
is precedent both in order of time and degree of obligation, to
the claims of Civil Society. Before any man can be considered as
a member of Civil Society, he must be considered as a subject of
the Governor of the Universe."
-- James Madison (A Memorial and Remonstrance, 1785)
Reference: Our Sacred Honor, Bennett (327)
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Simple Machines


text:
OREGON — Lena-Winslow's Tristan Fox fell just short of running off with a pair of titles in the difficult 800-, 400-meter double, and North Boone burst out with a powerful showing in the field events Friday night. But it was Winnebago that stood out the most during the 23-team Art Carlson Hawk Track Classic in Oregon.
The Indians claimed the meet title with 95 points, pulling away from Erie-Prophetstown (77 points) and Rockford Christian (55), as well as the early leaders from North Boone (53).
But nearly more impressive was the effort of Fox, who first ran away with the victory in the 800 final, notching a time of 1 minute, 59.87 seconds. And while he lost out on the sprint down the back stretch in the 400 — just two events and 18 minutes later — he proved he could be a force in both, posting a second-place time of 51.57.
"It's a big one for me; I really wanted to see what I had coming back with a 400 like that," said Fox, who also said that he "about passed out" the last time he attempted the tight double. "I just wanted to see. This is when you want to find out what you can do; what you've got."
North Boone sophomore Nick Krawczyk shocked even himself by pulling out the victory in the shot put with a personal-best 45 feet, 9 inches, almost 2 feet better than his previous record.
"My competitive spirit was flowing today, and it came out in the shot," Krawczyk said. "I had a pretty bad day in the discus, and that kind of motivated me headed into the shot. And, I guess, I just wanted it today."
So, too, did his teammate Chris Walker, who destroyed the meet record in winning the triple jump (45-1 1/2). He also won the long jump with a leap of 21-2, and he cleared 6-2 in the high jump, but lost out in the tiebreaker on misses to Polo's Brad Cavanaugh.
"This was one of those meets where I wanted to see what I had. I really tried to stay calm and do my thing," Walker said. "Getting some jumps like that, and doing it in a big one, this really boosts my confidence. And just in time."
With a strong push from two-time winner Jeff Swanson, and a dominant victory early in the 800 relay and to close it all out in the 1,600 relay, Winnebago won the team title with ease. Swanson won the 200 in 22.56 and anchored the 800 relay to have a hand in two of the team's three wins on the day. Still, coach Joe Erb knows his squad has a lot more work to do before the conference meet rolls around in two weeks.
"Up to this point it's been a really good year. Early on today, though, we were just flat," Erb said. "This time of year we're entering the invitational phase of the season, and now is when it's really time to get down to it and compete hard.
"We need to continue to do that."
Jay Taft: 815-987-1384; firstname.lastname@example.com; @jaytaft

subset: commoncrawl


text:
What are engineered hardwood floors?
They are floors that are made up of different layers of wood. These woods are stacked in opposite directions. They are made of plywood, hardwood or high density fibers. They will add color to your room and help in enhancing the appearance of your room. You can use them in your home and offices. They are very easy to install and are cost effective.
There are many advantages of using hardwood flooring. Some of these advantages are mentioned below:
Low Price:
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Stable in Moisture:
There are different types of wood floors available that are effective by moisture. However, this type of floors is made in such a way that they act as a moisture barrier. This helps in preventing the wood to get damaged in the presence of moisture. Moreover, due to its stability, there are less chances of cracking or swelling of the wood.
More durable:
The thickness of this type of floors is ideal to increase its durability. There are many factors, such as environmental stability, which make this material more durable than other type of wood floors.
Easy to Install:
Engineered hardwood is very easy to install at home. You can install it on your own, if you know the basic techniques about installing these types of floors. You don't have to waste your hard earn money on hiring a professional for its installation.
For installation of these, you can glue the hardwood to the sub-floor. You can also nail or staple them together and then install them. used engines near me
Highly appealing:
They are highly appealing and provide beauty to your room. It gives a classic and luxurious look at an affordable price.
Easy maintenance:
The maintenance of this type of floors is very easy. It is very easy to clean as compared to solid wood. This type of flooring is also eco-friendly.
Disadvantage of engineered hardwood floors:
However, like every other material, there are some disadvantages of engineered hardwood floors. One of the main disadvantages is that there are many different quality hardwoods are available. It is difficult to choose the high-quality hardwood that will require less re-finishing and maintenance.
So, there are a number of benefits of using engineered hardwood. It will save your time and money by preventing frequent re-finishing. Apart from this, if you want your floor to last for a long time, you should take good care of it by regularly cleaning them


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Pitchforkmedia: New Music: Antibalas: "Beaten Metal" [MP3]
If Antibalas needed a justification for dropping the Afrobeat Orchestra handle for their fourth album, Security, they needed to look no further than opening track "Beaten Metal". With the emphatic swagger of the Flaming Lips' "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 2" and the dexterously sharp grooves of Tortoise's "The Taut and Tame" (turtle John McEntire produced Security), this instrumental wonder is a new chapter for a band that's been testing the waters of tribute and artistry too long. Still, they cherish their Afrobeat ancestry, using a few repeated, interlocking parts to build a blazing anthem: Most of the instruments here are binary, either playing their parts or staying out of the way. The beaten metal pings of the title are in the mix or gone, and the horns that blow the top off a minute in are much the same when they reapply the seal four minutes later. They slide up and down scales, but they're spitting antiphonal fire at consistent intervals. No, this isn't Cage's "First Construction in Metal", but it's not "Expensive Shit", either. A bold move, executed perfectly.
href="http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/download/42487-antibalas-beaten-metal-mp3" target="_blank">http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/download/42487-antibalas-beaten-metal-mp3>


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Perkins Restaurant & Bakery
3630 Central Ave. Send to Phone
501-624-5000 | Make Restaurant Reservations | Menu
OpenOpen daily 24 hours
- Dress code: Casual
- Kid-friendly
- Take-out available
* Click here for rating key
: Originally founded as the Perkins Pancake House in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1958, this chain restaurant remains a draw for hungry families in search of the secret-recipe pancakes and other breakfast favorites that are served all day long. However, as the Perkins slogan states, "Breakfast is just the beginning." A wide selection of lunch and dinner entr


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Won Young Park
Won Young Park is a senior research associate at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). He is working on technical analysis for televisions, computer monitors, and lighting. In the studies, he assesses energy savings potential in efficiency improvement options, evaluates cost effectiveness of key technologies, and provides technical information and recommendations for policies and programs designed to accelerate the adoption of efficient technologies. He also supports a Korea project that demonstrates economic potential for energy efficiency improvement in appliances and equipment. Prior to LBNL, he worked at Samsung SDI, focusing on digital display technology and the alternate energy business. As a research engineer, he evaluated production data to optimize process ability and collaborated in the development of long-term roadmaps for Plasma Display technology. Studying at UC Berkeley, he specialized in life cycle carbon emissions analysis. Also, during his internship with the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) in Japan, he worked on a research project to identify proactive environmental policies in Asian developing countries. He received a Bachelor of Science in Physics from Yonsei University, Korea, and a Master of Public Policy from UC Berkeley's Goldman School of Public Policy.
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Xbox 360 repairs in Primrose Hill: with a 12 month warranty on the repair and replacement services we provide on Xbox 360. In Primrose Hill, we have very experienced technicians with excellent skills to solve your problems with Xbox 360. Our repair centre in Primrose Hill is one of the most reliable Xbox 360 repair centres in the UK.
Simply complete the form provided on the website, to obtain a free quote for your Xbox 360 repair in Primrose Hill. If you sent the quote form, in a few minutes our Primrose Hill technicians will send you the best repair offer with the information and details of the process. So you can compare the repair quote with another Xbox repair centre in Primrose Hill or in the UK.
We will provide hassle free services for your Xbox 360 repair in Primrose Hill. We have a very good reputation in the UK market for high quality Xbox 360 repairs. We always try to provide high quality Xbox repairs to our customers in Primrose Hill.
Get your Xbox 360 repaired from us, we also provide UPS courier pick-up and delivery service for customers who are not in Primrose Hill. We have a success rate of 99% to solve the repair problems of Xbox 360 in Primrose Hill. Only high quality parts are used to replace the parts of your Xbox 360 while repairs are made.
Complete the contact form provided on the website and get a free repair quote for your Xbox 360 repairs in Primrose Hill.


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Michael Franti Sings The Weeds' Theme Song
Golden Globe® Award-nominated for Best Comedy Series, the show is back this third season's with 15 episodes featuring a new version of the "Little Boxes" theme song for each one.
Tune in to SHOWTIME this Monday, October 22, 2007 at 10pm ET/PT to hear Franti's version of it.
If you miss it, check the WEEDS' site next week to stream it. href="http://www.sho.com/site/weeds/music.do?music=season3">CLICK HERE!


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Wilco's Latest: New Animated Video For "Sunloathe" Created By Director Peter Glantz And Illustrator Nathaniel Murphy
The Chicago rock band Wilco premiered a brand new video for "Sunloathe" today on wilcoworld.net. Director Peter Glantz (Andrew W.K., OK Go!) and illustrator Nathaniel Murphy created the animated video for the song from Wilco's latest dBpm Records release, The Whole Love.
The video features more than 100 original drawings by Murphy which Glantz and his small Providence, RI team of animators illustrated to create a video that "reflects the complicated emotions expressed in the song, where we feel hope and sorrow coexist," said Glantz.
Wilco's U.S. tour resumes this week with two upcoming concert performances this weekend at Berkeley's Greek Theatre on Friday, September 21 (Cibo Matto supports) and Saturday, September 22 (Jonathan Richman supports). The tour – Wilco's last U.S. tour of 2012 - concludes on September 30 at the famed Hollywood Bowl. Wilco then heads to Europe in early October for one last touring leg of the year, with concerts in Italy, Spain and Germany. A complete list of tour dates follows. About Nathaniel Murphy: Nathaniel Murphy is an illustrator and musician currently residing in Northern CA. Murphy has toured with Wilco since 2007 as part of the band's stage crew, as Glenn Kotche's drum technician. Murphy's illustrations were included in the album packaging for Wilco's 2007 release Sky Blue Sky. He created a film for Glenn Kotche's "Monkey Chant" and is one half of the modular synthesizer duo Loft.
About Peter Glantz: Peter Glantz is a theater and film director who has guided underground and commercial performances in Los Angeles, San Francisco and his home base of Providence, RI. His independent interview series, We Can Do It! recently premiered online at wcdi.tv and his and Becky Stark's cartoon series Worldword! is coming soon to MTV's Liquid Television. He is the founder of The Imaginary Company who make the imaginary real on stage and screen.
"Sunloathe" on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNPkIaYDCX8
"Sunloathe" on vimeo: http://vimeo.com/49635225


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- Snowboard Club UK Menu
- About Us
The Website
The Club
Snowboard Club UK
Welcome to the website of Snowboard Club UK.
Launched in April 1997, the site has grown to become the definitive UK resource for information on slopes, events, riders and more.
We love snowboarding. Our aim is to keep you informed and get you involved both on and off the hill.
Our online and offline communities are friendly and enthusiastic. Create a free account and start building your profile.
Club Membership
Our Club launched in October 2004 to enable UK riders to get more from their snowboarding. Our members save £100s on equipment, holidays and slope time.
Club Bashes are a great opportunity to meet like-minded people and have a laugh on the slopes in the UK and abroad.
In 2015, Action Sports Club launched and Snowboard Club UK is now just one club of many, providing more discounts across more sports for all members.
- Save Money
Quick Links
Joining the Club will have you saving money quickly across many sports. If you snowboard, save £35 on a new snowboard, £50 on a week away, £20 on an avalanche transceiver and £5 per session at your local indoor slope... It soon adds up!
Join the Club for just £15 a year.
Discount Categories
- Shop
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Club Members can save 10% or more in our shop, whilst everybody can save using our Voucher Codes and checking news of current Sales and Offers.
Snowboard Shop
Popular Today
Popular Brands
- Resorts
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We list the majority of the world's resorts and artificial slopes. Club Members get discounts at the very best of the UK's 80 slopes, in resorts abroad, on accommodation and travel.
Flag a resort as "Visited" and add it to your Hub, so you don't miss any resort news, events or community chat.
UK Indoor Slopes
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Popular World
Resorts per Country
- United States (210)
- Austria (162)
- Japan (152)
- France (138)
- Italy (107)
- Switzerland (103)
- United Kingdom (84)
- Canada (70)
- Finland (45)
- Germany (44)
- Norway (26)
- Sweden (23)
- Spain (19)
- South Korea (14)
- News
Our smallest menu fronts 15,850 snowboard news items and counting.
You'll find news throughout the site published against individual places, events and partners.
- Info
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You'll find heaps of wisdom throughout the website, but we'll point you at the wisest bits here.
General Information
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Snowboard Club UK holds the definitive UK event calendar, which aims to avoid major event clashes!
Add events to your calendar. Add an event to your Hub, so you don't miss any important event news or community chat.
Event Types
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Our own Club events occur throughout the year within the UK and abroad. Relaxed gatherings and you're all invited.
We're right behind the British Snow Tour, which includes The Brits and other UK snowboard and freeski events.
Snowboard Club UK are official partners of the World Snowboard Tour, which includes the many levels of TTR series.
FIS and Olympic events are the top flight for events for those wishing to represent their country.
- Community
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Join the Club for just £15 a year.
Kit Review Forums
The Forum is a place for the exchange of opinion and information. Friendly and moderated with a light touch.
You can comment on news, events, resorts and discounts. Want to discuss something? Take it to the Forum.
- Resorts
Snowboard Club profile for erinecorren
Has erinecorren suggested you join the Club?
It won't cost you more to Join our Club, but erinecorren could earn a £5 reward.
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Club Membership - Ride More, Pay Less
Club Membership is just £15 and will quickly have you saving money.
Join now and start saving in less than a minute!
Snowboard Club UK is part of Action Sports Club.
Create Free User Account
Log in or create an account to join the community, create your profile, build your hub and subscribe to the Snowboard Club UK newsletter.


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SAVAGE/T-MAXX/Chevrolet ® El Camino SS™ is a General Motors Trademark and used under license to Hobby Products International, Inc.
The popular line of muscle car bodies for the Savage Monster Truck now includes the 1969 Dodge Charger. The Charger was one of the most powerful muscle cars ever, with instantly recognizable styling that helped define the muscle car era. Our body designers crafted a realistic version that is a perfect fit on the Savage line of trucks. The body features a realistic 3D hood-mounted blower, included hood cover, recessed grill, recessed rear bumper, and a giant decal sheet to make an exact replica. Moulded from thick 0.040" clear polycarbonate.
The convenient pre-cut vinyl decal sheet includes: photorealistic headlights, grille, tail lights, official logos, window frames, door handles and more... all die-cut to make applying the decals quick and easy. Overspray film and pre-cut vinyl window masks are included with each body. A decal instruction sheet is included for decal placement, and the body has dimple marks for body post drill locations. This body will fit all Savage, T-Maxx and E-Maxx monster trucks.
- Photorealistic die-cut premium vinyl decals include window frames, headlight, grille, tail lights and more, plus official logos!
- Comes with realistic 3D hood-mounted blower to increase the visual impact of this body!
- Overspray film and pre-cut vinyl window masks make painting fast and simple
- A decal instruction sheet is included for decal placement
- The body has dimple marks for body post drill locations
- Moulded from 0.040" clear polycarbonate plastic for durability and long life
- This is an officially licensed replica.