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3. Our Founding Fathers Had A Strong
Strong Constitution
This new American government was to be as close
to the people as possible. Thomas Jefferson had long
regarded government to be dangerous when it was
remote form the people:
The true theory ofour Constitution is surely
the wisest and best
. . .
that if all gov–
ernment
...
shall be drawn to Washington as
the center ofall powe0 it will render powerless
the checks provided of one government on
anothe0 and will become as
. . .
oppressive as
the government from which we separated.
What has destroyed the liberty and the rights
of man in every government which has ever
existed under the sun? The generalizing and
concentrating all cares andpowers into one body
...
the way to have good and safe government
is not to trust it all to one, but to divide it among
the many
. . .
is by dividing and subdividing
these republics, from the great nation on down
...
that all will be done for the best.
As the Declaration of Independence marked the
conception of our Republic and set forth our
''inalienpble
rights"to
life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, so
the Constitution outlined our style of government and
defined the rights that are protected from intrusion by
government. As the American statesman, Henry Clay,
said,
'The Constitution of the United States was not
made merely for the generation that existed, but for
posterity
--
unlimited, undefined, endless, perpetual
prosperity.
"
Americans of all ages should have a greater
understanding for that noble plan for our great nation.
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