THE EVOLUTION OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND HISTORY OF THE MONROE DOCTRINE PREFACE THE following story of the Evolution of the CONSTITUTION of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA was originally written by request of the Constitutional Centennial Commission, under whose auspices the first centennial of its formation was celebrated at Philadelphia in 1887, in presence of representatives of the States and of the Nation. The first edition was published as a part of the two memorial volumes, in large octavo and fully illustrated, in a form and at a cost which precluded popular circulation. That edition was soon exhausted, and only occasionally can a copy be now obtained. at any price. Some desire has been expressed by its readers for a new edition adapted to more general circulation among the people, and especially for the use of students of constitutional law. It is to meet this requirement that the present edition has been prepared, after revision and some slight additions to the text. But there has been no departure from the original plan. This embraced a clear but condensed recital |