John Dickinson example essay topic

1081 words John Dickinson - "Penman of the Revolution" by Mary Jo Min arik For anyone who's ever seen the movie "1776", you probably came away from it with the impression that John Dickinson was no patriot. I know I did. Nothing could be further from the truth. One of the lesser known characters in the story of our founding, John Dickinson was nevertheless, one of its most eloquent and patriotic spokesmen. He was born in Maryland in 1732 and educated in Delaware. He spent three years in London, and upon his return, settled in Philadelphia to practice law.

The War for Independence did not just 'happen' in 1776. It was a long time coming. As far back as 1765 when the despised Stamp Act was passed, there were rumblings. In response to the Act, Dickinson published his first elaborate piece, The Late Regulations Respecting the British Colonies on the Continent of America Considered, in which he reasoned that the best way to get Britain to repeal the tax was through a boycott. For the next eleven years, Dickinson would continue to write on the rights of the British colonists and the responsibilities of Britain towards its colony. He drafted the resolutions of the first Congress.

He wrote a series of pieces, Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania, in the late '60's which had a significant impact on enlightening the American people of their rights. During his time in the Continental Congress, he appealed to King George twice, wrote an Address to the Armies and laid out instructions for the Pennsylvania delegates which essentially were an essay on the constitutional power of Britain over the colonies. In 1775 he penned the Declaration of the United Colonies of North America. But John Dickinson opposed the Declaration of Independence and left the Convention prior to its signing in order to insure a unanimous vote. However, his leaving the Convention was not an abandonment of the American cause. Though he could not bring himself to sever ties with Britain on paper, he took up arms in the colonies' cause and joined the state militia.

Seventeen years stretched from the Stamp Act through Lexington & Concord, on to the Declaration of Independence and finally after almost eight years of war, to Yorktown. Those years saw men of hot-headed temperament like Thomas Paine and Sam Adams rail against Britain. They saw statesmen like John Adams and Thomas Jefferson draft with reason the cause for independence; and they saw the cooler and more conservative heads of men like John Dickinson. All were patriots. All were needed in the American battle for liberty. After the War, Dickinson was called to serve again in the drafting of the Articles of Confederation.

And when a convention was called to amend the Articles (the Constitutional Convention), Dickinson was there as well, this time as a delegate from Delaware. And a good thing, too. There were two sides that met in Philadelphia in 1787. On the one hand were the Federalists - Madison, Hamilton and the like - who saw it necessary to vest control of the country in a central government.

On the other hand were the states' advocates who while acknowledging there were problems with the current government, still maintained the autonomy of the states. Dickinson, a moderate Federalist, was essential in bringing the two sides together. Throughout the hot summer, Dickinson along with a few others was the voice of moderation and prudence. Historian Forrest McDonald noted that without the presence of John Dickinson and about seven other delegates, the extreme nationalists would have prevailed in the convention, and "the resulting constitution would not have been ratified".

His contribution to ratification of the Constitution was no less significant than Publius' Federalist Papers. Dickinson wrote nine essays in defense of the document under the pen name of Fabius. George Washington, upon receiving the first four essays wrote to John Vaughn, "Sir, I have received... the papers containing the four numbers of Fabius... The writer of those pieces whoever he is, appears to be master of his subject; he treats it with dignity and at the same time expresses himself in such manner as to render it intelligible to every capacity. I have no doubt but that an extensive republication of those numbers would be of utility in removing the impressions which have been made upon the minds of many by an unfair or partial representation of the proposed constitution, and would afford desirable information upon the subject to those who sought for it". Dickinson well versed in history, chose his pseudonym well.

Gregory Ahern in his Humanitus wrote in 1988 that, "Quintus Fabius Maximus Cunctators was the Roman general who saved the republic through caution, prudence, patience and persistence. Indeed, the Fabius Letters are a model of moderation and prudence, with their frequent appeals to history to justify the new Constitution and to warn against the danger to the nation should it fail to be ratified". He appealed to the Anti-Federalists in his explanation that the Constitution provided sufficient power in the national government to address national interests, while keeping the necessary amount of influence within the states to provide a check to the potential abuse of a national government. Together with the Federalists, Dickinson made the case that the success of the republic ultimately rests with the people of the new nation. Again quoting from Ahern, "Dickinson makes clear that the ultimate responsibility for the preservation of the people's liberty rests with the people themselves. If they cease to be diligent, if they allow the government to undertake unconstitutional measures under false pretexts, or if they allow themselves to become morally corrupt so that they no longer choose persons of wisdom and integrity to govern the nation, then they will lose their liberty, and 'the loss of happiness then follows as a matter of course.

' " John Dickinson lived to see the Constitution ratified. Having retired from public life after the convention, he spent his last years in literary studies, charitable offices and elegant hospitality. He died in Wilmington, Delaware in 1808. Lesser known than others whose names are synonymous with the American story, Dickinson was in fact indispensable to the American cause James Marshall summed up this great American well...

"His public services were eminent. His writings have been justly described as copious, forcible and correct. The patriotism of Mr. Dickinson was of that manly nature which does not permit the statesman to sanction a measure simply because it chances to be popular, but holds him to what seems to tend to the best interests of the country.".