An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States

An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States is by Charles A. Beard, who is named as Associate Professor of Politics in Columbia University. A chapter headed The Political Doctrines of the Members of the Convention opens by looking back at the economic implications of the Constitution.

Livingston thought there were some grave defects in the Constitution as drafted at Philadelphia and believed that the President should enjoy the appointing power without any control by the Senate. James McClurg, of Virginia, proposed on July 17th that the term of the executive should be changed from seven years to good behavior. A writer in the Chronicle of Freedom complains of the dangers to the freedom of the press from the new Constitution. Mr. S. H. Miller is quoted on several propositions made in the federal Convention in regard to property qualifications, and Ellsworth objected to a property qualification on account of the difficulty of fixing the amount.