Archive for Alexander Hamilton
FFQF: Does One Size Fit All?
After an absence from this blog, and from my own meme “Founding Father’s Quote Friday,” I now resume my pen typewriter. I also apologize (do I do that more than I blog, I wonder?) to my readers and to FFQF participants. My absence was the result of necessity. Today, we pose the question “Does one [...]
FFQF: Give Me Liberty or Give Me Debt
Everyone knows the famous saying by Ben Franklin, that the only things that are certain in life are death and taxes. Which one is worse? Heh. (Hat tip: Patriot Humor) My FFQF today comes from an email I recently received from Wallbuilders, David Barton’s group. As usual, his stuff is choc-full of quotations from the [...]
FFQF: Alexander Hamilton on the Fall of Republics
Today we will look at what Alexander Hamilton had to say about the self-destructive weaknesses of republics. In a day and age where both extremes of unitary government and total democracy are pitted against each other in our nation, his words need to be heard and understood. Every republic at all times has its Catalines [...]
FFQF: George Washington on the Spirit of Party
Beginning with this month, I have decided to stop issuing monthly themes for the Founding Fathers’ Quote Friday meme. My reason for this is simply, it will make it easier for bloggers to participate, and encourage other bloggers to become participants (hopefully). There is the possibility that inspiration will strike me and I will issue [...]
FFQF: My Double-Barrelled Bill of Rights
I said it once, and I’ll say it again (although you are all probably tired of hearing it): our theme for this week has sounded more or less like an elegy to the late great Bill of Rights. Our Founders were aware that, in the usual course of history, governments would look out more and [...]
FFQF: Alexander Hamilton on Rights
For the past several weeks, I and those participating in this month’s Founding Fathers’ Quote Friday meme, have been dealing with the subject of the (late great) Bill of Rights. We have been approaching that subject from the angle that the reason for its demise has simply been the ignorance and complacency of the people. [...]
FFQF: The Bill of Rights — First Amendment
It seems that our theme for this week has sounded a bit more like an elegy to the Bill of Rights, which, for all practical purposes, are dead. What now? Well, let us look and see where we have fallen. We will start by looking at the First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting [...]
FFQF: The Real Humor of Alexander Hamilton
The last time we touched on Hamilton’s humor, he borrowed it from his friend James McHenry. Today, we will see what credit his own words do to his own wit. While it was not his regular habit to tell jokes, he never could resist poking fun when he could. While General Washington’s aide-de-camp, he was [...]
FFQF: The Humor of Alexander Hamilton (or, of James McHenry!)
Over the past several months, we have cracked open the dusty tomes of the Founding Fathers’ writings, and searched for their wise advice on such subjects as liberty, virtue, and the means of their support. These subjects have lead us to reflect, often with great heaviness, on our nation’s failings, and to the current situation [...]
FFQF: John Adams on Moral Authority
Today we will hear from an address which President John Adams gave to the officers of the First Brigade of the Third Division of the Massachusetts Militia, on October 11, 1798: While our country remains untainted with the principles and manners which are now producing desolation in so many parts of the world; while she [...]