What is more precious than gold? Diamonds, Jade? Well if you asked President James Madison in 1816, he might have responded our Constitution. Madison described the Constitution as the Palladium of true liberty. In Greek mythology, the palladium was an ancient wooden statue on which the safety of Troy and Rome was said to depend upon. The statue was a wooden image of Pallas, the daughter of Triton. When she got into a fight with Athena the daughter of Zeus, Pallas was mortally wounded. Out of regret, Athena created the palladium, a statue in the likeness of Pallas. This statue was said to have fallen from heaven in answer to the prayer of Ilus, the founder of Troy.
Palladium is also the name of a silvery-white metal that was discovered in 1803 by William Hyde Wollastan. Wollastran, an English chemist. was mining crude platinum ore from South America by dissolving the ore in a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acids. Gold and Silver are rare, but platinum is rarer, palladium a cousin of platinum, is even rarer. Unlike gold which dates back to 4000 BC, palladium was new during Madison's lifetime. Palladium is much less dense than platinum, and like gold can be beaten into a leaf as thin as 100 nm ( 1⁄250000 in). Today, Palladium has many uses, including dentistry, electronics, jewelry and Hydrogen storage. Because it absorbs hydrogen at such a high rate, palladium has become a key component in cold fusion experiments since 1989. Since the early 1900s, palladium was commonly used as a precious metal in jewelry to make "white gold".
By 1600, in the English language the word palladium had come to mean anything that provided security. But, it is generally accepted,that Wollastran named the new metal Palladium after a recently identified asteroid discovered by a German astronomer on March 28, 1802. It was originally counted as a planet and is one of the largest asteroids in the solar system. Thus, like Palladium which came down from heaven, I wonder if Wollastran fantasized that his new precious metal was sent down from heaven with special powers. It was something more precious than Gold, and deserving of the name Palladium. While Madison had used the term palladium in letters and even in Federalist #43, but here it takes on a special meaning for me. James Madison referred to the Constitution as the palladium of our constitution. In Greek mythology, a statue sent down from the heavens to protect the city of Troy. In metals, it is something more precious than Gold. Nothing could make the Father of our Constitution more happy than to see in the character of the American people a true devotion to the Constitution. So, In James Madison's final paragraph of his final State of the Union address, he gave an ode to the Constitution, the palladium of true liberty.
"And may I not be allowed to add to this gratifying spectacle that I shall read in the character of the American people, in their devotion to true liberty and to the Constitution which is its palladium, sure presages that the destined career of my country will exhibit a Government pursuing the public good as its sole object, and regulating its means by the great principles consecrated in its charger and by those moral principles to which they are so well allied; a Government which watches over the purity of elections, the freedom of speech and of the press, the trial by jury, and the equal interdict against encroachments and compacts between religion and the state; which maintains inviolably the maxims of public faith, the security of persons and property, and encourages in every authorized mode the general diffusion of knowledge which guarantees to public liberty its permanency and to those who possess the blessing the true enjoyment of it; a Government which avoids intrusions on the internal repose of other nations, and repels them from its own; which does justice to all nations with a readiness equal to the firmness with which it requires justice from them; and which, whilst it refines its domestic code from every ingredient not congenial with the precepts of an enlightened age and the sentiments of a virtuous people, seeks by appeals to reason and by its liberal examples to infuse into the law which governs the civilized world a spirit which may diminish the frequency or circumscribe the calamities of war, and meliorate the social and beneficent relations of peace; a Government, in a word, whose conduct within and without may bespeak the most noble of ambitions - that of promoting peace on earth and good will to man."
In each verse Madison shared a different facet of the constitution. I'll try to break this down verse by verse.
1. Elections clause (Article 1, Section 4) a Government which watches over the purity of elections'
The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing [sic] Senators
2. First Amendment "the freedom of speech and of the press"
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
3. Sixth Amendment "trial by jury"
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence
4. Establishment Clause of the First Amendment "the equal interdict against encroachments and compacts between religion and the state"
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...
5. Article Six (oath of office) "which maintains inviolably the maxims of public faith"
The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution
6. Fourth Amendment (right to privacy) "the security of persons and property"
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
7. Preamble (secure the blessings) "encourages in every authorized mode the general diffusion of knowledge which guarantees to public liberty its permanency and to those who possess the blessing the true enjoyment of it"
We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
8. Title of Nobility Clause (Article 1, Section 9) "Government which avoids intrusions on the internal repose of other nations"
[Also known as the Emoluments Clause]
No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States: and no person holding any office of profit or trust under them, shall, without the consent of the Congress, accept of any present, emolument, office, or title, of any kind whatever, from any king, prince, or foreign state.
9. Common Defense Clause (Article 1 Section 8) "and repels them from its own"
The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United State
10. Congressional Foreign Affairs Power (Article 1, Section 8) "which does justice to all nations with a readiness equal to the firmness with which it requires justice from them; and which, whilst it refines its domestic code from every ingredient not congenial with the precepts of an enlightened age and the sentiments of a virtuous people, seeks by appeals to reason and by its liberal examples to infuse into the law which governs the civilized world a spirit which may diminish the frequency or circumscribe the calamities of war, and meliorate the social and beneficent relations of peace; a Government, in a word, whose conduct within and without may bespeak the most noble of ambitions"
To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;
To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;
To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;
To provide and maintain a Navy;
To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;
To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;
And In Summary ... "promoting peace on earth and good will to man."
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=29458
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palladium
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pallas_(daughter_of_Triton)
http://www.outsiderclub.com/report/platinum-and-palladium-more-precious-than-silver-and-gold/935
http://constitutionus.com/
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