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note that our doctrine of government begins not with the
king or with the nobility, but with the people and that they
stated in the organic law that we, the people of the United
States, ordain and establish this Constitution. It devolves
upon you and upon me and upon all Americans to keep our
country true to these principles upon which the fathers
founded it.
I wonder at the foresight and vision and prescience of these
marvelous men who gave us this organic law and the principles
upon which our Government is founded, coming as the rich
heritage of the ages through slow processes and through
much suffering. Their wisdom is reflected in the fact that
these principles have not been changed in 150 years. They
have not been changed because truth does not change. The
Bible is just as applicable today as when the written words
came from the hands of the sacred writers. We have in our
Nation enduring principles of government, and it behooves
us all to realize this fact in full appreciation of its worth.
If you will look at the amendments to the Constitution of
the United States—and practically speaking, there have been
only 11, inasmuch as the first 10, or the Bill of Rights, were
substantially a part of the original instrument—you will see
that they go principally to the machinery of government and
not to the principles upon which the fathers founded this
country. I wish I had time to elaborate upon that, but
through your own study and your own research you will at-
test the accuracy of the statement I have made. It is sig-
nificant also that, though the men who gave us our Govern-
ment in our organic law were eminent statesmen, the com-
mercial interests of our country, the businessmen, if you
please, were principally responsible for the formation and
the adoption of this instrument.
Why do I say that? It will be recalled that the year be-
fore the Constitutional Convention there was a convention
held at Annapolis, the purpose of which was to amend the
old Articles of Confederation so that the Thirteen States,
which in many instances had their own tariff restrictions,
their own moneys, and their own armies, might have an
opportunity to trade among themselves and break down the
commercial barriers at State lines. There was no disposition
for a central government with great authority and with the
power to tax; but they wanted some basis of commercial
intercourse, and the Constitutional Convention was, as a
matter of fact, the aftermath of that convention at An-
napolis. The tardiness in the ratification of the Constitu-
tion was due in some degree to the fact that the delegates
had exceeded their authority, inasmuch as it had been their
designated purpose to get some basis of trade among the
Thirteen States. So I say that this document is in con-
132228—16310
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Lanham, Fritz G. Americanism - A Heritage of the Ages, text, February 27, 1939; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1397599/m1/4/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Hardin-Simmons University Library.