Compact of the Republic: The League of States and the Constitution

by David Benner

The United States Constitution was a concerted response to an age of tyrannical kings and highly centralized government. As history reveals, such political authority had to be challenged directly – by local units and causes – to preserve liberty and ensure public happiness. Compact of the Republic demonstrates that the Constitution did not impose a nationalist, superlative central government, and was not ratified by “one American people” in the aggregate. Instead, the document was the product of a multi-party arrangement, where the states remained the masters of their own creation and the pillars of the federal system. As the standard defense of the compact theory of the union, this account throws a wrench into the wheel of contemporary legal thought. In Compact of the Republic, historian David *Reveals that representatives were assured that delegated power could be reclaimed by the states following acts of federal overreach and usurpation *Explains the historical foundation behind the Bill of Rights, and traces the limitations on government to the actions of malevolent kings *Proves the Constitution acknowledges the states in the plural, as a collection of sovereign societies with varied interests *Demonstrates that the "elastic clauses" were clearly explained during the ratification campaign, and leave no room for modern reinterpretation *Describes how the federal judiciary now overturns state laws it has no jurisdiction over, to the contrary of its original scope of power *Explains why Thomas Jefferson and James Madison believed that unconstitutional federal laws had to be opposed, nullified, and obstructed by the states *Illustrates that ratification was secured only by convincing opponents of the Constitution that the document would produce a nominal general government with limited, enumerated powers

Genres: History, Politics, American History

393 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Sergio · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a Political Science major at one of the countries top universities, and I learned more from this book than I did in a year of studying constitutional law. This is one of the best arguments for nullification and return to the original intent of the constitution i have read. Highly recommend for any patriotic citizen or history buff.

[Dave Benner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is just a note from the author.

Hope you enjoyed Compact of the Republic! It was certainly a great joy to write. If you liked the content within, you will most certainly like my podcast and website.

Podcast: www.soundcloud.com/dave-benner
Website: www.davebenner.com

[David M. Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Summary

This book is an excellent guide on the Founders intentions, their disagreements, and the result of an out of control Federal Government. Mr. Benner has written a worthwhile read that points out how the United States has become a Plutocracy and ways of restraining Federal overreach. His inclusion of important historical documents at the end was a nice gesture.

[Al Lock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot recommend this book strongly enough. If you think you understand the Constitution of the United States, read this book. If you want to understand the Constitution of the United States from the viewpoint of the people who wrote it and ratified it, read this book.

Very well researched, with excellent notes and documentation as well as reprinting key documents including Magna Carta, the English Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution.

Anyone interested in the history of how the US Constitution came into existence, was authorized and how it was understood then should read this book. Very focused, well-written and just plain solid.

Highly, highly recommended.