The Guarantee of a Republican Form of Government – Notes from the Convention of 1787

The Avalon Project - Notes on the Constitutional Convention ^ | 7/18/1787 | Constitution Convention of 1787

[metesky]

Nice link. Thanks.

[SuperLuminal]

"...and the Southern States were worried of slave rebellions"

Whoops! Forgot that.

Of course one of the key points in our history when it should have been necessary was "adoption" of the 16th.

[SuperLuminal]

bttt

[backtothestreets]

"Of course, having a republican form of government doesn’t mean that only republicans should hold office any more than a democracy would demand that only democrats should hold office; the guarantee refers to a type of national government."

You have expressed an extremely valid point most citizens do not understand.

As to where the nation strayed from a Republican form of government, I believe the answer is the Fourteenth Amendment. This single amendment essentially rewrote the Constitution. Supreme Court decisions based upon this amendment, particularly the "Incorporation Doctrine" adopted by the Taft Supreme Court in the mid-nineteen twenties, stripped states of the guarantee of a Republican form of government.

[Loud Mime]

OK, you have me studying the 14th Amendment now. Several years ago some attorney claimed that it was changed from its original; he provided some records on the matter which I will have to find.

I see we are fellow Californians; what’s happening to our state???