The Constitution of the United States: A Brief Study of the Genesis, Formulation and Political Philosophy of the Constitution — John Shaqi
The Constitution of the United States: A Brief Study of the Genesis, Formulation and Political Philosophy of the ConstitutionBeck, James M. (James Montgomery)
History
The Constitution of the United States: A Brief Study of the Genesis, Formulation and Political Philosophy of the Constitution
Beck, James M. (James Montgomery)
Constitutional law -- United States; United States. Constitution
"To remove those causes of estrangement, to avoid a fateful
catastrophe, in other words, to bring about a cordial understanding
_with_ America, the first condition must be an understanding _of_
America. Such an understanding, or even the atmosphere in which such
an understanding may grow, has still to be created. It is indeed
passing strange that in these days of cheap books and free
education, America should be almost a '_terra incognita_,' that we
should know next to nothing of American history, of the American
Constitution, of American practical politics, of the American
mentality. We scarcely read American newspapers or American books.
Even such masters of classical prose as Francis Parkman, perhaps the
greatest historian who has used the English language as his vehicle,
are almost unknown to the average reader. Our students do not visit
American universities as they used before the War to visit German
universities. The consequence is that again and again we are running
the risk of perpetrating the most grotesque errors of judgment, of
committing the most serious political blunders, in defiance of
American public opinion."
The success of my Gray's Inn lectures convinces me that Dr. Sarolea
underestimates the interest in America and its history in England.
However, the episode, which is treated in these lectures, is, as he
says, "_terra incognita_" not only in England, but even in the United
States. It is amazing how little is known in America of the facts given
in my second lecture. The American student, after rejoicing in the
victory at Yorktown and the end of the War of Independence, generally
skips about eight years to 1789, mid his interest in the history of his
own country recommences with the inauguration of President Washington.
Students of history in both countries thus miss one of the most
interesting and instructive chapters of American history, and indeed of
any history.
I have ventured to add to my Gray's Inn lectures another address, which
I delivered as the "annual address" at the session of the American Bar
Association in Cincinnati, Ohio, on August 31, 1921. I do so, because it
has a direct bearing on the decay of the spirit of constitutionalism
both in America and elsewhere. It discusses a great _malaise_ of our
age, for which, I fear, no written Constitution, however wise, is an
adequate remedy. It was published in condensed form in the issue of the
_Fortnightly_ for October, 1921, and an acknowledgment is due to its
courteous editor for permission to republish it.
I have forborne in these lectures to make more than a passing reference
to the League of Nations and the great Conference which framed it,
tempting as the obvious analogy was. The reader who studies the
appendices will see that the Covenant of the League more nearly
resembles the Articles of Confederation than the Constitution of 1787.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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