The Correspondence of Thomas Jefferson
By Subject
CONSTITUTION / UNITED STATES / DEFECTS
Our new Constitution is powerfully attacked in the American
newspapers. The objections are, that its effect would be to form the
thirteen States into one; that, proposing to melt all down into one
general government, they have fenced the people by no declaration of
rights; they have not renounced the power of keeping a standing army;
they have not secured the liberty of the press; they have reserved the
power of abolishing trials by jury in civil cases; they have proposed
that the laws of the federal legislatures shall be paramount to the
laws and constitutions of the States; they have abandoned rotation in
office; and particularly, their President may be re-elected from four
years to four years, for life, so as to render him a King for life,
like a King of Poland; and they have not given him either the check or
aid of a council. To these they add calculations of expense, etc.,
etc., to frighten the people. You will perceive that these objections
are serious, and some of them not without foundation. The
Constitution, however, has been received with a very general
enthusiasm.
to William Carmichael, 11 December 1787
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