The American Republic : constitution, tendencies and destiny   By: Orestes Augustus Brownson (1803-1876)

AMERICAN REPUBLIC:

ITS

CONSTITUTION, TENDENCIES, AND DESTINY.

BY

O. A. BROWNSON, LL. D.

NEW YORK:

P. O'SHEA, 104 BLEECKER STREET.

1866.

Entered according to Act of Congress, In the year 1865, By P. O'SHEA,

In the Clerk's office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York.

TO THE HON. GEORGE BANCROFT, THE ERUDITE, PHILOSOPHICAL, AND ELOQUENT Historian of the United States,

THIS FEEBLE ATTEMPT TO SET FORTH THE PRINCIPLES OF GOVERNMENT, AND TO EXPLAIN AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC, IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED, IN MEMORY OF OLD FRIENDSHIP, AND AS A SLIGHT HOMAGE TO GENIUS, ABILITY, PATRIOTISM, PRIVATE WORTH, AND PUBLIC SERVICE, BY THE AUTHOR.

CONTENTS.

PAGE

CHAPTER I.

INTRODUCTION 1

CHAPTER II.

GOVERNMENT 15

CHAPTER III.

ORIGIN OF GOVERNMENT 26

CHAPTER IV.

ORIGIN OF GOVERMENT Continued 43

CHAPTER V.

ORIGIN OF GOVERNMENT Continued 71

CHAPTER VI.

ORIGIN OF GOVERNMENT Concluded 106

CHAPTER VII.

CONSTITUTION OF GOVERNMENT 136

CHAPTER VIII.

CONSTITUTION OF GOVERNMENT Concluded 166

CHAPTER IX.

THE UNITED STATES 192

CHAPTER X.

CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES 218

CHAPTER XI.

THE CONSTITUTION Continued 244

CHAPTER XII.

SECESSION 277

CHAPTER XIII.

RECONSTRUCTION 309

CHAPTER XIV.

POLITICAL TENDENCIES 348

CHAPTER XV.

DESTINY POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS 392

PREFACE.

In the volume which, with much diffidence, is here offered to the public, I have given, as far as I have considered it worth giving, my whole thought in a connected form on the nature, necessity, extent, authority, origin, ground, and constitution of government, and the unity, nationality, constitution, tendencies, and destiny of the American Republic. Many of the points treated have been from time to time discussed or touched upon, and many of the views have been presented, in my previous writings; but this work is newly and independently written from beginning to end, and is as complete on the topics treated as I have been able to make it.

I have taken nothing bodily from my previous essays, but I have used their thoughts as far as I have judged them sound and they came within the scope of my present work. I have not felt myself bound to adhere to my own past thoughts or expressions any farther than they coincide with my present convictions, and I have written as freely and as independently as if I had never written or published any thing before. I have never been the slave of my own past, and truth has always been dearer to me than my own opinions. This work is not only my latest, but will be my last on politics or government, and must be taken as the authentic, and the only authentic statement of my political views and convictions, and whatever in any of my previous writings conflicts with the principles defended in its pages, must be regarded as retracted, and rejected.