An Interesting Study of The U.S. Constitution

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; “Times change and men often change with them, but principle never”, sets up Steven’s observations and warning about the future of our Federal Republic decades before it began to crumble.