Popular Control Quotes
This quotation had a close proximity to Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address (see linked quote). Although this was probably Lincoln's most famous line, it was not totally original. John Adams came close in a 1774 proclamation (see linked quote). As did John Marshall in his McCulloch v. Maryland decision (see linked quote). There was also Thomas Cooper in 1795 (see linked quote). But the earliest close phrase use appears to be the English cleric, John Wycliffe, in 1382 (see linked quote). It is not known with which of these Lincoln was familiar.
Jefferson and a number of other Founding Fathers were so against aristocracy and monarchy that the assumed that the only way to prevent it was to have all government officials subjected to annual elections. Jefferson was not at the constitutional convention, while annual elections were considered, the compromise that became the Constitution required 2 year elections for the House and 6 years for the Senate with 4 years for the Presidency.
Samuel Langhorne Clemens, 1835-1910
Indeed, the control is only one the medium term when after 4 years a President can be replaced by the voters. But a number of President’s have embarked upon foreign policies that was opposed by the majority of the population.
See Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Grover Cleveland for a similar view.
See Edmund Burke and Franklin Delano Roosevelt for a similar view.
