Notes From Up-North

A Constitutional View of the Late War Between the States: Its Causes, Character, Conduct and Results.   Author, Alexander Hamilton Stevens, December, 1867 Despite of the peculiar, late 19th Century, views expressed on slavery; this is the most interesting and best documented discussion on states’ rights I have read. I consider this a “must read” for anyone seriously interested in Constitutional history. The title can be found on Amazon. Democratic Congressman Stevens, former Vice President of the CSA and Governor of Georgia presents himself as an erudite and honorable man. The cast of characters; Webster, Madison, Locke, Clay, Calhoun, Adams and others are impressive.   The documentation of the positions they take is worth the price alone. The book is presented as twelve colloquies with an extensive Appendix. The author’s introduction sets up the style of the book.   There is an interesting copy of an original from the Cooper Union Library . The subtitle; “ Ti...

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed”. Thomas Jefferson; Declaration of Independence, 4, July 1776 These unalienable rights are further defined by the Bill of Rights. Ratified 1779 Happiness depends on the extent to which our needs are satisfied. Basic needs (food, shelter and clothing) must be met before individuals can pursue self actualization; determined by the extent to which cognitive ability is nurtured. The U. S. Constitution guarantees our unalienable rights and is unique in the history of nations.   That document says nothing about needs.   It protects the liberty of the citizens of the various United States.   In recent years political discourse ...