No source that I know about. And yes, it sounds very much like a jab at the modern-day Congress. I doubt any political leaders of the period would ever have said anything remotely like that. And the views of people who were custodians weren't likely to be preserved for posterity. So, yeah, that's Stone and Edwards talking.
The other thing we in 2017 often forget is that democracy to Adams and Company and democracy to us aren't the same thing. Universal suffrage and the direct election of senators were a long, long ways away. It's one reason I inwardly flinch when Adams and Rutledge go at it, and John intones, "The people." Well, okay, John, some of the people. More than were running things before,,so it's progress. And we did get there eventually.
Laura |
