Abel Upshur’s Essay on the Constitution
Abel Upshur Secretary of the Navy
Abel Upshur served as the Secretary of the Navy and Secretary of State under President John Tyler’s Whig administration. He was a politician and lawyer from Virginia. It was Upshur who helped negotiate the treaty of annexation for the Republic of Texas. The treaty insured Texas would be allowed to enter the United States as a slave state. Prior to completion of the treaty Upshur was killed in an explosion on the USS Princeton.
In addition to his service he wrote an essay on Judge Story’s Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States. His essay helps to define the important structure the framers and founders intended our federalist republic to operate under. There is much to learn regarding the colonial, confederate, and constitutional beginnings of the United States.
In his new book, Nullification, Thomas Woods, Jr. references this essay. We have included it here for those who want to improve their understanding of our heritage. The full title for his essay is: A Brief Enquiry into the True Nature and Character of our Federal Government; Being a Review of Judge Story’s Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States. We appreciate Thomas Woods pointing out this insightful read.
