The Genesis of a Written Constitution (Classic Reprint)

Download or read book The Genesis of a Written Constitution (Classic Reprint) written by William Carey Morey and published by Forgotten Books. This book was released on 2018-10-08 with total page 36 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Excerpt from The Genesis of a Written Constitution Admitting that the permanence of a constitution is dependent upon the laws of historical growth, that no political forms created to meet a temporary emergency or framed by a mere act of arbitrary volition are likely to endure, it becomes an interesting question to an American citizen whether the laws of historical development apply only to an unwritten constitution. The organic law under which he lives is set forth in a written document. It was put into form at a given time and place. It was fashioned in the heat of discussion by a chosen body of men, whose work in its outlines and its details he is accustomed to think was solely the product of their creative wisdom. This idea was formerly so prevalent that the apotheosis of the Fathers occupies a large place in American political litera ture; and this View is not confined to native writers. The flattering sentiment of Mr. Gladstone has often been quoted, As the British Constitution is the most subtile organism which.has proceeded from progressive history, so the American Constitution is the most wonderful work ever struck off at a given time by the brain and purpose of man. And this quotation is approvingly used by Mr. Bancroft as a sort of dedicatory preface of his History of Me Constitution. The German writer, von Holst, with greater historical insight, is inclined to satirize the worship of the Constitution and the Fathers, but the scope of his own work does not permit him to discuss the real origin of American constitutional law. It may, indeed, perhaps. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.