As I have heretofore explained, the purpose of government is to guard human rights and human liberty. This is true of the government of the United States, and it is true of the government of each State. Always keep in mind that in this country, what we call “the government” is merely an agency of the people—an expression of the power of the people in a defined way, agreed upon by them, through which they protect themselves against wrong by the agencies of government which they have created, and against wrong by their neighbors.
Inspiring indeed is it to contemplate the spirit in which the founders of the American Nation and of the States of America studied the methods by which human rights should be protected. They were unselfish; they were in the highest degree inspired by a holy purpose to guard the people of America against the wrongs, the abuses, the cruelty which their ancestors in the past had suffered; and to accomplish their purpose they exercised the greatest care to maintain the power of government in the people themselves—the power to make laws and to enforce them.
I suppose it may be said that the highest achievement of the American people in creating a National government and the governments of the States is expressed in the words of Lincoln when he proclaimed this to be “a government by the people”.
ELEMENTARY QUESTIONS
1. What is a village?
2. What is a State?
3. When were the colonies first called States?
4. What States adopted Constitutions before the adoption and ratification of the Constitution of the United States?
5. Can the people of the State of New York enact a law punishing a person for coining silver dollars? Why?
6. Can Congress pass a law Sting the punishment of a person for stealing a horse in the State of Michigan?