The Project Gutenberg EBook of Civil Government in the United States
Considered with Some Reference to Its Origins, by John Fiske

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Title: Civil Government in the United States Considered with
Some Reference to Its Origins

Author: John Fiske

Release Date: February 25, 2004 [EBook #11276]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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CIVIL GOVERNMENT
IN THE UNITED STATES
CONSIDERED WITH SOME REFERENCE
TO ITS ORIGINS

BY

JOHN FISKE

[Greek: Aissomai pai Zaevos Heleutheroiu,
Imeran eurnsthene amphipolei, Soteira Tucha
tiv gar en ponto kubernontai thoai
naes, en cherso te laipsaeroi polemoi
kagorai boulaphoroi.]

PINDAR, _Olymp_. xii.

Thou, too, sail on, O Ship of State!
Sail on, O Union, strong and great!...
Our hearts, our hopes, are all with thee.
Our hearts, our hopes, our prayers, our tears,
Our faith triumphant o'er our fears,
Are all with thee,--are all with thee!

LONGFELLOW.

1890

BY JOHN FISKE.

_Dedication_

This little book is dedicated, with the author's best wishes and
sincere regard, to the many hundreds of young friends whom he has
found it so pleasant to meet in years past, and also to those whom he
looks forward to meeting in years to come, in studies and readings
upon the rich and fruitful history of our beloved country.

PREFACE.

Some time ago, my friends, Messrs. Houghton, Mifflin & Co., requested
me to write a small book on Civil Government in the United States,
which might be useful as a text-book, and at the same time serviceable
and suggestive to the general reader interested in American history.
In preparing the book certain points have been kept especially in
view, and deserve some mention here.

It seemed desirable to adopt a historical method of exposition, not
simply describing our political institutions in their present shape,
but pointing out their origin, indicating some of the processes
through which they have acquired that present shape, and thus keeping
before the student's