Discussion of "the Liberty of the Press" Alexander Hamilton

I agree with Hamilton's point of view on "whatever find declarations may be inserted in any constitution respecting it must altogether depend on public opinion, and on the general spirit of the people and of the government." United States of America is a country that strongly relies on the freedom, liberty, equality of its citizens and also public opinions. According to John Locke, "people are born free with natural rights, including the rights to life, liberty, and property. His social contract theory holds that in order to protect people's natural rights, a government is formed to protect those rights. When a government fails to do so, the contract has been broken and the people are free to change or replace that government" (Briggs & Petersen, 32). The government exists with the approval of the governed; this also ensures a country's prosperity.

There are many events occurred in the past that indicate its succeed through strong public opinion supports. These events include the woman's suffrage movement, the Prohibition movement, etc. They are evidences showing strong campaigns that took place in order to reach their goals.

The women's suffrage movement began in 1848 at Seneca Falls, New York. The leader was Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who joined in the 1850s, by Susan B. Anthony, who provided the driving leadership of the movement. In 1890, NAWSA (National American Woman Suffrage Association) was led by Carrie Chapman Catt, who aimed at winning the right to vote for women not through the state-by-state efforts that only give them right to vote in nine states; but now, the movement would concentrate on achieving women's suffrage through a constitutional amendment. This change of strategy gained much more public supports and helped to swell the members of NAWSA to two million. Although at the beginning, women's political parties were not formed to achieve women's suffrage. However, later on, it did have two key effects: first was to show that women are competent in the political area, and secondly, it brought the idea of female suffrage closer to acceptance. These groups became larger when other women joined and their influences widened. Alice Paul also helped to gain the final public support needed for the women's suffrage when she formed the National Woman's Party. "Paul alienated many women and campaigning against Woodrow Wilson for reelection in 1916. This act was highly visible during the World War I that in 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified, giving women the right to vote" (Briggs & Petersen, 163).

In the United States, the Prohibition of alcohol took place when congress passed on the eighteenth amendment, banning alcohol nationwide. The passage of the eighteenth amendment was thought that it could decrease the crimes that were caused by excessive alcohol consumption and alcohol abuse. However, although the sale of alcohol is illegal but people still purchased alcohol through illegal bootlegging and underground drinking establishments. The government did not enforce the law much and most Americans were simply unwilling to accept a total ban on alcohol. It stimulated crime even further, encouraging smuggling. Through these actions of the public, Congress passed the Twenty-first Amendment ending Prohibition.

"The general spirit of the people and of the government" can be defined as people's devotion to the nation, or nationalism among people. It started when the British passed the Stamp Act on the United States in 1765 that "required a tax stamp on printed materials. The colonists resented the act and forced their repeal. Then the British parliament passed the Townshend Acts to tax on imported goods. Colonists viewed the Townshend Acts as serious economic and political threats (Briggs & Petersen, 36). Colonists viewed these new taxes as threats to their liberties, including the right to property - the fundamental factor