THESE lectures were delivered before the Senior classes at Union College during the four years in which the author was President ad interim of that Institution. Partly narrative and partly expository, they are an attempt to present in a sort of perspective something of the story of the Constitution, its significance and development.

SCHENECTADY, N. Y., March 4, 1889.

CONTENTS.

LECTURE 1.

INTRODUCTORY OUTLINE. - FREE INSTITUTIONS IN THE Colo-

XIES. – Functions OF THE NATIONAL AND STATE GOVERN-

MENTS

LECTURE II.

COLONIAL GOVERNMENTS AND LIBERTIES. THREATENED AG-

GRESSIONS OF THE CROWN. - INDEPENDENCE. FORMATION

OF STATE CONSTITUTIONS

18

LECTURE III.

NECESSITY FOR A NATIONAL GOVERNMENT. THE ARTICLES OF

CONFEDERATION.-- FAILURE OF THE SYSTEM.- EVENTS LEAD-

ING TO THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION. THE CONVEX-

tion. — ITS PROCEEDINGS, DEBATES, AND COMPROMISES.

COMPLETION OF THE CONSTITUTION

46

LECTURE IV.

RATIFICATION OF THE CONSTITUTION. PROCEEDINGS IN

CONVENTIONS OF THE SEVERAL STATES

LECTURE V.

PRACTICAL ESTABLISHMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT UNDER THE

CONSTITUTION. - First MEASURES. - INFLUENCE OF HAMIL-

TON AND JEFFERSON. -- The HAMILTONIAN ERA OF LIBERAL

Construction. - FORMATION OF PARTIES. DECISIVE MEAS-

URES OF THE GOVERNMENT

97

LECTURE VI.

THE PASSAGE OF THE NATION THROUGH PERILS. — TROUBLES

with FRANCE AND ENGLAND. THE ALIEN AND SEDITION

Laws.

VIRGINIA AND KENTUCKY RESOLUTIONS. Down-

FALL OF THE FEDERAL PARTY. JEFFERSONIAN ERA OF

STRICT CONSTRUCTION. FEARS OF MONARCHY. OF Disso-

LUTION - FRENCH AND ENGLISH OUTRAGES. - EMBARGO AND

NON-INTERCOURSE. - WAR WITH ENGLAND. - PEACE. - Hart-

FORD CONVENTION. ERA OF GOOD FE ixG. - INTERNAL

IMPROVEMENTS. THE MONROE DOCTRINE

120

LECTURE VII.

THE JACKSON ERA. Bank. OFFICE-HOLDING. TARIFF.

NULLIFICATION. WHETHER THE CONSTITUTION IS A COMPACT

BETWEEN STATES, OR THE SUPREME GOVERNMENT OVER THE

PEOPLE ? — ANNEXATION OF Texas. - CLOSE OF THE PERIOD

OF NARROW CONSTRUCTION

146

.

LECTURE VIII.

SLAVERY IN THE UNITED STATES.

· 175

LECTURE IX.

Tue RECONSTRUCTION Period. - THE NEGRO AS A CITIZEN AND

VOTER. — INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION. — INTERSTATE COM-

MERCE. - ERA OF GREAT ENTERPRISES. - TARIFF, -- TAXA-

TION

207

LECTURE X.

THE INFLUENCE OF THE SUPREME COURT UPON our CONSTITU-

TIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH

226

LECTURE XI.

THE INFLUENCE OF THE SUPREME COURT. — CONTINUED

257

LECTURE XII.

THE THIRTEENTH, FOURTEENTH, AND FIFTEENTH AMENDMENTS,

AS CONSTRUED BY THE SUPREME Court . .

281

LECTURE XIII.

SOME OF THE CAUSES OF THE STABILITY AND SUCCESS OF OUR

DUAL SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT

303