The proposition that no authority should be exercised over the people except such as came from the people necessarily opened the door to an election of the governor by the people; but how to restrict his power seems to have taxed Jay's ingenuity.
This quote reflects Alexander's analysis of the challenges faced by early American leaders in balancing popular sovereignty with the need for effective governance.
Share
More from De Alexander
More valuable still is his exposition of the Philippine question in its bearings on American life and politics.
Human, dramatic, interesting, absorbing, there is philosophy of national and political life back of it--a philosophy which not only furnished interpretation of past events, but offers guidance for the future....
Referring to the fraudulent practices, he said: "No one claims, no one believes, that I had lot or part therein, or previous hint or suspicion thereof.
Indeed, his administration admittedly ranked with the best that had adorned the State for a century, and his friends, including Independents and many Stalwarts, rallied with energy to his support.
Other voices in this conversation
