Tag: democracy vs. republic

BY T.F. STERN Reading about Thomas Jefferson and his impact on America’s experiment with self-governance makes for an interesting enlightenment.  Jefferson’s understanding and beliefs may...

GARRY M. GALLES, FOUNDATION FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION Constitution Day—September 17—marks the anniversary of its 1787 signing. Students will be taught about it...but not because of...

American Minute with Bill Federer He sat next to George Washington in the pew at St. Paul's Chapel in New York during the religious service...

American Debate Federalist Fisher Ames sends a draft treatise to a friend for review, in which he addresses the dangers he sees to the liberty...

Liberty Letters, John Adams, 1786 Aristocratical Republics: SWISS CANTON OF ZURICH My dear Sir, THE canton of Zurich contains one hundred and fifty thousand souls, upon an...

Liberty Letters, John Adams, 1786 Democratical Republics: UNDERWALD My dear Sir, THE canton of Underwald consists only of villages and boroughs, although it is twenty-five miles in...

Liberty Letters, John Adams, 1786 Democratical Republics: Switzerland, Appenzel SWITZERLAND My dear Sir, IT is commonly said, that some of the cantons of Switzerland are democratical, and others...

Liberty Letters, 15 August 1787, James Madison _____________________ Editor's Summary: Madison moved that all bills ought to be submitted not just to the President, but to...

Liberty Letters, 15 August 1787, James Madison _____________________ Editor's Summary: Madison moved that all bills ought to be submitted not just to the President, but to...

But right and wrong aren't determined by popular will. Nor should the latter effect judges' rulings, they are supposed to be governed by the Constitution - Duke

Every thing in France has gone on directly contrary to all the silly expectations of the democrats, though most exactly in conformity with the laws of man’s nature, and the evidence of history. - Fisher Ames

Liberty is not to be enjoyed, indeed it cannot exist, without the habits of just subordination: it consists, not so much in removing all restraint from the orderly, as in imposing it on the violent. - Fisher Ames

In a series of papers published in 1801, Fisher Ames unleashes one of the Federalist’s most scathing attacks on the Anti-Federalist’s unbridled democratic principles. Ames does so by drawing their principles to their logical conclusions—illustrating his conclusions with the unprincipled actions of the European democrats and their American supporters and apologists. Said Ames: "Time is as little a friend to folly, as to hypocrisy."

In a series of papers published in 1801, Fisher Ames unleashes one of the Federalist’s most scathing attacks on the Anti-Federalist’s unbridled democratic principles. Ames does so by drawing their principles to their logical conclusions—illustrating his conclusions with the unprincipled actions of the European democrats and their American supporters and apologists. How is it, then, that the democrats find a right in the whole people so much more extensive, than what belongs to any one of their number?

As the common law secures equally all the rights of the citizens, and as the jacobin leaders loudly decry this system, it is obvious, that they extend their views still farther. Undoubtedly, they include in their plan of equality, that the citizens shall have assigned to them new rights, and different from what they now enjoy. - Fisher Ames