James Monroe: Second Inaugural Address

( 1821 ) Commentary by Kirk H. Beetz, UC Davis, Emeritus, and Michael J. O'Neal, Ph.D.

“In this great nation there is but one order, that of the people, whose power, by a peculiarly happy improvement of the representative principle, is transferred from them, without impairing in the slightest degree their sovereignty, to bodies of their own creation, and to persons elected by themselves, in the full extent necessary for all the purposes of free, enlightened and efficient government. The whole system is elective, the complete sovereignty being in the people, and every officer in every department deriving his authority from and being responsible to them for his conduct.” - Second Inaugural Address

James Monroe (Library of Congress)

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