Citizen Advocates for Constitutional Principles

Citizen Advocates for Constitutional Principles

Constitutional Gems - # 646 – 11-18-06

Focusing on the Constitutional - George Sweeney

Hamilton suggests that tyranny often can hide behind a mask of concern for the rights of the people. He said: "On the other hand, it will be equally forgotten that the vigor of government is essential to the security of liberty; that, in the contemplation of a sound and well-informed judgment, their interest can never be separated; and that a dangerous ambition more often lurks behind the specious mask of zeal for the rights of the people than under the forbidden appearance of zeal for the firmness and efficiency of government."

The Founding Fathers were very familiar with tyranny and human motivation. They recognized that tyrants often covered they tyranny with a claim to protect the rights of some people. Remember, Hitler claimed that he was invading other countries to protect the rights of ethnic Germans. Others may claim protecting other's rights while only working to gain profit and power. It was their understanding of human nature that led them to write checks and balances into the Constitution.
Question: What motives may be behind an outward concern for the rights of the people?
Source: Federalist No. 1

Send us your comments about issues in this newsletter.

A Founders Profile - Donald Conkey
Benjamin Franklin (1706 – 1790) was an extraordinary man and one of America’s most influential statesmen. Additionally he was an author, printer, scientist, and diplomat to France and England, and was instrumental in bringing France into the Revolutionary War to support the Colonists. He was Governor of Pennsylvania, founded the University of Pennsylvania, and was delegate from Pennsylvania in 1776 to Congress where he signed the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution. Self educated, he taught himself five languages, became known as “the Newton of his Age,” making important discoveries in electricity, inventing the lighting rod, Franklin Stove, still used today, rocking chair, and bi-focal glasses. And he received honorary degrees from Harvard and Yale Universities in 1753. His steadying influence and wisdom was evident throughout the Constitutional Convention in 1787 with both Washington and Madison relying heavily on his wisdom and experience. Source: Skousen’s 5000 Year Leap - p. 50 – 56

We need your help to reach our goal to get Gems to the email of each and every elected official, government employee, members of the news media, social studies and history teacher in the US and abroad. Send us only their email addresses, we will send them Gems. If they do not wish to receive it unsubscribing is as easy as clicking on the "unsubscribe" link. This newsletter may be the only study they may have of the Constitution.
Share the Constitution.

Hold on, my friends, to the Constitution and to the Republic for which it stands. Miracles do not cluster and what has happened once in 6,000 years, may not happen again. Hold on to the Constitution, for if the American Constitution should fail, there will be anarchy throughout the world.- Daniel Webster

This is always a free subscription! We guarentee our subscription list is never shared with any third party. Ever!

Did you miss an issue of Gems. Find it at CACP.info
To unsubscribe click here.

To contact webmaster.