U.S. Politics
The Uneforceable Logan Act of 1799
The French leaders of the new French Republic listened politely but understood the American Constitution well. Jefferson had used it as a basis of the documents he helped the Marquis de Lafayette propose first to King Louis XVI and then later to the leaders of the French Revolution. Logan’s effort came to naught.
Read MoreRejection of the First Recess Appointment
In Article II, Section 2, Clause 3, the Constitution gives the President the power to appoint those allowed in Clause 2 without Senate approval if it is not in session. These are recess appointments, and the appointed individual must be approved by the Senate when it convenes.
Read MoreChain of Command
Essentially, this very long sentence (Article II, Section 1, Clause 6) gives Congress the power to create the chain of command for the U.S. government. In the spring of 1792, the Second U.S. Congress took up this matter and, the House and Senate agreed that the order of succession was to be President, Vice President, President Pro-Tem of the Senate followed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Read MorePrepping for War on Both Sides of the Border
The Madison administration realized there would be little support for a call-up of the New England state militias for an invasion of Canada. As a result, Madison, allowed the invasion strategy to change based on the advice of General Henry Dearborn.
Read MoreThe Circle “C”
The copyright issue was so significant by 1783, each state except Delaware, had its own copyright laws. The central government under the Articles of Confederation had no power to regulate copyrights or the protection of IP. In fact, most states simply took the Statue of Anne and adapted it to their own purposes. This led to a crazy quilt set of copyright laws that differed depending on what state on resided.
Read MoreOpposition to Mr. Madison’s War
While not named in the 1807 Orders in Council, the U.S. was the target since we insisted on trading with whatever country we chose. The order required any ship headed for a port in a country controlled by France to stop at an English port to be checked for military supplies. Those that did not could be seized by the Royal Navy, and the ship and cargo sold in an Admiralty Court.
Read MoreAmerica’s Second Struggle for Liberty
Rather than confront the British and demand they stop impressing American citizens, Jefferson encouraged the Democratic-Republicans who controlled both houses in Congress to enact a series of measures that restricted trade with European nations that were at war. These were not popular and actually caused the U.S. economy to contract.
Read MoreBeginning of the End of Slavery in These United States
However, in 1794, 71 years before the 13th Amendment was passed, with the Slave Trade Act of 1794, the U.S. Congress took the first steps to eliminate slavery in the U.S. The law, passed by the Second U.S. Congress, was signed by President Washington on March 22nd, 1794.
Read MoreThe Precedent Setting Northwest Ordinance of 1787
Four years after the peace treaty with Great Britain was signed, the Continental Congress, which now preferred to be known as the Congress of the Confederation of the United States, passed the Northwest Ordnance on July 13th, 1787. It was intended to provide guidance to citizens on how a section of the new United States known as the Northwest Territory would be governed.
Read MoreCauses of the American Revolution and the U.S. Today
By April 1775, the Patriots were fed up with the British government. It simply wasn’t responsive or caring of its needs. Call it arrogance, call it ignorance, but there is no doubt that English citizens living on their island looked down on their fellow citizens living in the Thirteen Colonies. The Founding Fathers were often referred to as “damn Colonials.”
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