Henry L. Stimson Quotes
People now do not want a constitution framed for them by their representatives—they want to pass on each section of it themselves.
Henry L. Stimson, 1867-1950, U. S. Secretary of State (Republican), U. S. Secretary of War, Governor General, Philippine Islands, November 3, 1915
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
The State Constitutional ratification convention for Constitutional amendments is
The government relationship to people phrase, although probably Lincoln's most famous, was not totally original. John Adams came close in a 1774 proclamation. As did John Marshall in his McCulloch v. Maryland decision. Daniel Webster's Speech on Foot's Resolution was very close. as was Theodore Parker in 1850 {629578}. There was also Thomas Cooper in 1795. But the earliest appears to be John Wycliffe in 1382 {567292}. It is not known with which of these Lincoln was familiar.
The conservative Senator was very distrustful of the constitutional amendment process itself after a both prohibition and women's suffrage amendments had passed. Wadsworth and his supporters feared Constitutional amendments passed by Congress and the State legislatures without any direct approval of the people.
Originally it was published in Boston under the name “A Columbian Patriot.” The “principles to which she referred were the principles set out in our Constitution of 1787.
This quotation illustrates the "winner take all" conceopt of many political cultures that call themselves and think of theselves as a democracy. But a true democracy does not allow a tyranny of the majority--especially a very narrow minority.
Henry Lewis Stimson was an American statesman, lawyer, and Republican Party politician. Over his long career, he emerged as a leading figure in U.S. foreign policy by serving in both Republican and Democratic administrations. He served as Secretary of War (1911–1913) under President William Howard Taft, Secretary of State (1929–1933) under President Herbert Hoover, and Secretary of War (1940–1945) under Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman.
