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November 21, 2005
The Federal Catechism
The American Spelling Book, by Daniel Webster, published in the late 1700s/early 1800s, included in some editions a federal catechism. (Hat tip: Steph) I reproduce it here in full and without commentary:
A FEDERAL CATECHISM
Containing a short EXPLANATION of the CONSTITUTION of the
UNITED STATES of AMERICA, and the Principles of
Government.
For the Use Schools. [sic]
Q. WHAT is a constitution of Government?
A. A constitution of government, or a political constitution,
consists in certain standing rules or ordinances, agreed upon by a
nation or state, determining the manner in which the supreme powers
shall be exercised over that nation or state, or rather how the
legislative power shall be formed.
Q. How many kinds of constitutions are there; or in how many
ways may the sovereign power be exercised over a people?
A. Constitutions are commonly divided into three kinds; monarchy,
aristocracy, and democracy.
Q. Explain these sorts of governments?
A. When the sovereign power is exercised by one person, the
constitution is a monarchy. When a few rich men or nobles,
have the whole supreme power in their hands, the constitution is an
aristocracy. When the supreme power is exercised by all the
citizens in a general meeting or assembly, the constitution is a
democracy.
Q. What are the faults of despotic governments?
A. In a despotic government, a whole nation is at the disposal
of one person. If this person the prince, is of a cruel or
tyrannical disposition, he may abuse his subjects, take away their lives,
their property or their liberty.
Q. What objections are there to aristocracy?
A. In an aristocracy, where a few rich men govern, the poor
may be oppressed, the nobles may make laws to suit themselves
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p. 149
and ruin the common people. Besides, the nobles having equal
power one with another, may quarrel and throw the state into
confusion; in this case there is no person of superior power to settle
the dispute.
Q. What are the defects of democracy?
A. In a democracy, where the people meet for the purpose of
making laws, there are commonly tumults and disorders. A small
city may sometimes be governed in this manner; but if the citizens
are numerous, their assemblies make a crowd or mob, where
the debates cannot be carried on with coolness or candour, nor can
arguments he heard: Therefore a pure democracy is generally
a very bad government. It is often the most tyrannical government
on earth; for a multitude is often rash, and will not hear
reason.
Q. Is there another and better form of government than
any of these?
A. There is. A REPRESENTATIVE REPUBLIC[,] in which the
people freely choose deputies to make laws for them, is much the
best form of government hitherto invented.
Q. What are the peculiar advantages of representative
governments?
A. When deputies or representatives are chosen to make laws,
they will commonly consult the interest of the people who choose
them; and if they do not, the people can choose others in their
their room. [sic] Besides, the deputies coming from all parts of a state,
bring together all the knowledge and information necessary to show
the true interest of the whole state; at the same time, being few
ion number, they can hear arguments and debate peaceable on a
subject. But the great security of such governments is, that the
men who make laws are to be governed by them; so that they
are not apt to do wrong wilfully. When men make laws for themselves,
as well as for their neighbours, they are led by their own
interest to make GOOD laws.
Q. Which of the former kinds of government is adopted by
the American States?
A. The states are all governed by constitutions that fall under
the name of representative republics. The people choose deputies
to act for them in making laws; and in general, the deputies, when
assembled, have as full power to make and repeal laws, as the
whole body of freemen would have, if they were collected for the
purpose.
Q. By what name may we call the United States in their
political capacity?
A. A federal representaive republic.
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p. 150
Q. How are the powers of government divided?
A. Into the legislative, judicial, and executive.
Q. What is meant by a legislative power?
A. By legislative is understood that body or assembly of men
who have the power of making laws and regulations for governing
state. [sic]
Q. Where does the power of making laws for the United
States reside?
A. By the constitution of the United States, the power of making
laws is given to the representatives of the people chosen by
the people or their legislatures, and assembled in two distinct
houses. This body of representatives so assembled, is called "the
Congress of the United States."
Q. What are the two separate houses called?
A. One is called the Senate, the other the house of Representatives.
Q. How i[s] the senate formed.
A. By two delegates from each state, chosen by the legislature
of the state, for six years.
Q. Why are not senators chosen every year?
A. Because one branch of Congress is designed to be distinguished
for firmness and knowledge of business.
Q. How is the house of representatives formed?
A. This branch of the national legislature is composed of
delegates from the several states, chosen by the people, every second
year.
Q. Can every an in the states vote for delegates to
Congress?
A. By no mans. In almost every state some property is
necessary to give a man a right to vote. In general, men who have
no estate, pay no taxes, and who have no settled habitation, are not
permitted to vote for rulers, because they have no interest to
secure, they may be vagabonds or dishonest men, and may be
bribed by the rich.
Q. Why is congress divided into two houses?
A. When the power of making laws is vested in a single assembly,
bills may often pass without due deliberation. Whole assemblies
of men may be rash, hasty, passionate, tumultuous, and whenever
this happens it is safe to have some check to their proceedings,
that they may not inure the public. One house therefore
may be a check upon the other.
Q. Why may Congress regulate the election of its own members
or why is not this power left entirely to the states?
A. For this good reason; a few states might by neglect, delay
or wilfulness, prevent the meeting of a Congress, and destroy the
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p. 151
federal government. It is necessary that Congress should have
power to oblige the State to choose delegates, so that they may
preserve their own existence.
Q. It is not unjust that all should be bound to obey a law,
when all do not consent to it?
A. Every thing is JUST in government which is NECESSARY to
the PUBLIC GOOD. It is impossible to bring all men to think alike
on all subjects, so that if we wait for all opinions to be alike
respecting laws, we shall have no laws at all.
Q. How are the members of Congress paid?
A. Out of the treasury of the United States, according to a
law of Congress.
Q. Would it not be politic to refuse them a reward, and let
them serve their country for the honour of it?
A. In such a case none but rich men could afford to serve as
delegates; the government would then be wholly in the hands of
the wealthy; whereas there are many men of little property, who
are among the most able, wise and honest persons in a state.
Q. How far do the powers of Congress extend?
A. The powers of Congress extend to the regulation of all
matters of a GENERAL NATURE, or such as concern ALL the United
States.
Q. will not this national government in time destroy
the state governments?
A. It is not probable this w[i]ll be the case; indeed the national
government is the best security of the state governments; for each
state has pledged itself to support every state government. If it
were not for our union a powerful state might conquer its weaker
neighbour, and with this addition of power, conquer the next state,
and so on, till the whole would be subject to one ambitious state.
F I N I S.
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