I’ve been impressed-to say the least-with Dr. The whole book is a work of art.” From the wise selection of writings to the meticulous footnotes, edits, and indexing, this book really was crafted by a lover of books for other lovers of books.

As I wrote proudly on the title page of my own hardback copy: “I have immense respect for MDH-this is beautifully edited and crafted. In 2016, Liberty Fund Books published The Collected Works of Roger Sherman, edited by Mark David Hall. And, I worry about spanking my misbehaving children! Sherman not only wanted law to prohibit gambling and card-playing, but, as late as 1784, he believed that the state should brand an “A” on the forehead of convicted adulterers. The papers and works of Roger Sherman should also remind us that the founding was not about the establishment of libertarianism. In other words, Americans at every level should see laws as reflections of the natural and divine will, not playthings to be molded by human will. Should a legislature pass laws merely for the sake of passing laws and frequently overturn its own laws after a year or two, the public will lose confidence in its ability to govern. Further, as a good republican, Sherman argued for few laws, strongly and energetically enforced. A “people” must trust its legislative branch to lead a republic, recognizing the legislative branch as the best-but never the perfect-embodiment of public sentiment and the sense of things. Additionally, Sherman warned Americans repeatedly against the twin dangers of the “demos” and the “monarch.” Even the most restricted executive will abuse his power, he sagaciously noted, again and again. Perhaps his most original contributions come from his admiration and extension into America of the common law, against the usurpations of admiralty law. Rather, he takes them for granted as he works on securing such rights through the rule of law. He never elaborates on his love or admiration for natural law or natural rights. Sometimes (more often than not), it wasn’t pretty, but it was absolutely necessary. He served as the not-so-quiet patriot, but one that did the actual hard work of day-to-day politics. Even before the Revolution began, he had been active, signing the Articles of Association and the Declarations and Resolves, each in 1774. Only two other men could make the same claim. Rooted in the Reformed theology of his day and gifted with seemingly unlimited energy for practical politics, Roger Sherman signed the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution. The second oldest man at the constitutional convention, Sherman, born in 1721, was, in so many ways, the ultimate Connecticut Yankee. If Madison offered the American republic a five-course meal of epicurean excellence, Sherman was the short-order fry cook in the nearest greasy spoon, a block or two away from Independence Square. Where is the eloquence on Natural Law, Natural Rights, patriotism, the dignity of the human person, or the deepest and most profound meaning of a republic? Sherman believed in all of these things, but he lacked the ability to express them with anything even resembling poetic language.

His contributions, however vital, seem mechanical, lifeless, and… well, devoid of high political thought. Still, almost no one in popular memory or mythology thinks too much or too often-or, sometimes, even at all-about Roger Sherman. As it turns out, only three other men spoke more than did Sherman. When perusing James Madison’s massive two-volume Notes on the Constitutional Convention, one would have to be blind not to notice how frequently Sherman proposes, disposes, debates, and lectures. But he has a clear head and sound judgment.” Let no one ever accuse Adams of being charitable in his descriptions of others! And, yet, what a vital description it is. “Generally he stands upright, with his hands before him, the fingers of his left hand clenched in a fist, and the wrist of it grasped with his right. “Sherman’s air is the reverse of grace there cannot be a more striking contrast to beautiful action, than the motions of his hands,” Massachusetts delegate to the Second Continental Congress, John Adams, recorded of Connecticut’s delegate, Roger Sherman. Mark David Hall (840 pages, Liberty Fund, 2016) If James Madison offered the American republic a five-course meal of epicurean excellence, Roger Sherman was the short-order fry cook in the nearest greasy spoon, a block or two away from Independence Square.

Roger sherman