It sounds like Lincoln was the one who "brought forth upon this continent a new nation" and then conveniently blamed it on what had transpired 87 years before. Thanks for your interesting perspective on this.
The dictionary I was required to purchase as a college freshman, The Random House College Dictionary (1984) defines federal as 1. Of or pertaining to a compact or a league, especially a league between nations or states. 2. Govt. a. pertaining to or of the nature of the union of states under a central government distinct from the individual governments of the separate states.... They offer some others, but offer primary meanings involving a compact. I think the talk of "separate" states was even purposeful. A dictionary really can be a political treatise at points.
Webster's 1828 Dictionary of the American Language was much better on these subjects than some of its more recent versions have been.
It sounds like Lincoln was the one who "brought forth upon this continent a new nation" and then conveniently blamed it on what had transpired 87 years before. Thanks for your interesting perspective on this.
ReplyDeleteThe dictionary I was required to purchase as a college freshman, The Random House College Dictionary (1984) defines federal as 1. Of or pertaining to a compact or a league, especially a league between nations or states. 2. Govt. a. pertaining to or of the nature of the union of states under a central government distinct from the individual governments of the separate states.... They offer some others, but offer primary meanings involving a compact. I think the talk of "separate" states was even purposeful. A dictionary really can be a political treatise at points.
ReplyDeleteWebster's 1828 Dictionary of the American Language was much better on these subjects than some of its more recent versions have been.