Good afternoon and welcome to the william archives. Its a pleasure to have you with this afternoon. Whether you are in the theater or joining us on facebook or youtube channels, and a special welcome to the cspan audience. Before we hear from pulliam hyland junior about george mason, id like to tell you about two other programs next month. Tuesday,y, september 10 at noon, Sidney Blumenthal will tell us abouabout the recently released volume three of the biography of Abraham Lincoln all the powers of earth, the political life et 56 to 1863. And on monday september 16 at 7 00, associate justice will tell about the constitution and the importance of Civic Education and civil discourse and mutual respect. Check the website at archives. Gov or signup to table to get email updates and you will find information about other archive programs and activities. Another way to get more involved is to become a member from the national archivesme foundation. Foundation supports all of our education and outreach activities and you can check out their website, archivesfoundation. Gov. For the charters of freedom to murals commemorates two founding documents of the nation and the declaration of independence and the United States constitution. In the depiction of the constitution, the Central Group of figures represent those who played key roles in the creation of the document. Along with George Washington, nkJames Madison and benjamin franklin, is h george mason. One of the five most frequent speakers at the Constitutional Convention, but at the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention 1789, may send and find that argument. The document. The primary objection the last declaration of individual rights led to the creation of the earth charter in the rotunda of the bill of rights. Today we look forward to hearing more about george masons Critical Role in the formation of the nation from his biographer, William Hyland and a native of virginia and author of the widely praised historical biographies including in the sense of Thomas Jefferson which was nominated for the virginia literary award and hes also written long journeys with mr. Jefferson a biography and an intimate life with Thomas Jefferson. At the University College of law and teaches an undergraduate course of science and member of the Virginia Society who servesc on the board of directors of the Thomas Jefferson heritage society. He spoke them william please welcome William Hyland junior. [applause]nk thank you to the archives for inviting me back. This is my third time back here and i enjoy my business back here because i i feel a closenes of history when i come back here. It gives me chills to know the three most Important Documents in our foundingme history are jt 200 feet above us, the declaration of independence, the constitution of the United States and the bill of rights. I very much feel close to history when i come here. I am a lawyer by practice and i always start off my speeches telling a story even though george mason wasnt a lawyer, he had a wealth of legal knowledge that didnt go to law school like jefferson and madison, but this is a story that i want to tell about a lawyer, doctor, priest and a little boy. They were all on a small plane writing together developed a little engine trouble. They were having trouble everyone is going to have to bail out. The doctor grabbed the first parachute and said i am a doctor. I save lives so i must live and he dropped off the first pitch at. Lawyers are the most important people in the world. Priest looked at the little boy and there was only one parachute left. He said my son, ive lived a long and prosperous life. You have your whole life ahead of you. Take your parachute and take off. The little boy turned and said no worry, father, the smartest man in the world just took off with my backpack. [laughter] lets talk about george mason. Not a lot of people know about george mason. They basically know that George Mason University may be the final four that they reached years ago but they had no idea who george mason is. I hope my book changes that opinion. Jefferson was a genius both professionally which he was in his mentor george mason was a near genius. America was woven together on three pieces of paper, the declaration of independence, the constitution and public right. They had a hand in formulating the blueprints for all three documents. 1776, mason emerged as a revolutionary and left an indelible footprint as one of the ablest constitutionalists of all time. Mason became generally acknowledged as the premier republican theorist even though he never attended college orho w school that was selftaught and his uncles 1500 Volume Library in virginia yet during the legacy was the creation of the american experiment, theea nations capacity to create hope in ae world of fear. In y each instance the work was absorbed by the Political Coalition that same. In the byproducts of the character of his historical work it also became a matter of preferenceor for mason. His advice to his son sons stud for the happiness and independence and a private station to the troubles and sensations of a public business and that is that he followed all of his life. Efforts of his colleagues to attend to office were met with persistent refusals on his part. Yet the cruel and a detailed attack has many elected audiences. As one scholar concluded, george mason is a thinker rather than at this. Its neither patriotic nor to the mason idolatry. It is a broad portrait of mason and the world in whichor he liv. While not stamping his vibrant life i try to gather accounts that will bring this brilliant man to life for the public. The resulting portrait i hope will offer you offer a fresh ang interpretation is in best versed in the literature of the revolutionary period. Isotype blended together the personal and political sides of the story leaving one with the inevitable conclusion george mason deserves careful and renewed focus. Some historical notoriety hasnt been afforded to george mason. Hes tended to lack a multivolumes biography and hasnt recorded the same that is due him. Every facts bearing upon the character and Services Gift helped create the model form of government and those who are interested in the origins of individual freedom. Mason grasped the true liberty. His philosophy of the authority of citizens to control the government seemed thorough and complete yet the great labors are not as widely known or established in the public mind aof some of the other founders. The blueprints of the declaration of independence which was his virginia declaration of rights was sent by one historian to have more wisdom and concentration in one sentence and writings on the subject. Pretty powerful words. Its a little known fact that mason was personally responsible for the famous words in the final version of jeffersons eloquent declaration of independence. Life, liberty and the pursuit of s. Were masons own words within a month before jefferson penned his eloquent version of the declaration of independence. Mason added that the word the constitution giving the power to, quote, declared, not make war. He also supplied aid and comfort in the declaration of treason, and he wrote the famous words hike crimes and misdemeanors in the impeachment clause. Most people dont know that. Along with madison, mason wrote major portions of the oath of office at the modern presidency when sworn in today. Quite simply given the length and breadth of the political right thing and influence, his name should be more recognizable in the Public Domain and in the same context as within Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and alexander hamilton. Masons pragmatic mind mentioned constitutional principles and infused them with expensive life turningin abstract theory into e government realities and they send never wavered on the court convictions. Individual rights and liberties over the government for power. Jefferson and madison both changed their view of the politicall climate suffering frm one prominent historian turned a disarming ideological promiscuity. Unfortunately, history has combined may send to the second tier of his historical significance. The goal of my book is not to take the recognition away from jefferson or hamilton, but to assign more credit to mason. As jefferson himself admitted the declaration was close,li neither aiming at originality of principle or sentiment, nor copied from any previous writing. He was tended to be an expression of the american mind. And in fact come of the nascent virginia declaration of rights emerged as the brilliant and eloquent blueprints as my first draft of the declaration of independence. Masons layered personality also played a notable part in so many important fields including government, law, free exercise of religion, agriculture, architecture and philosophy. He was among american authors of rights and independence whose eloquent articulations of the american creed articulated a vision and set the course for history. Yet he remained a somewhat reclusive figure up until the American Revolutionary war. A war that precipitated his constitutional brilliance. The war for independence didnt swiftly. As englands oppressive course became national policy, towards the colonies, mason netted with a resolution no was fixed and forceful language. He wrote that, quote, though we are these subjects, we will use every means which heaven has given us to present our becoming its slaves. With masons commanding strength and intellect, he became aroused by the emotional appeal and figure of words. All is at stake, he wrote to washington, and the little conveniences and comforts of life for set in competition with a liberty ought to be rejected up with reluctance but pleasure. Mason wasnt a bold commander Like Washington nor are like Patrick Henry but gained his fame as a draftsman of the virginia declaration of rights. He rarely had a National Audience outside of this country virginia and only the slow passage of time revealed the full significance of his proposed. You may send it and rest once his words were written or his ideas circulated. He was a builder and a dissenter and architect of the american billhe of rights which one cal d arguably the most creative and consequential act of Political Leadership in american history. Masons virginia declaration of rights affirmed our modern fundamental freedoms of the rights to freehe press, the rigt to a jury trial, the right to not self incriminate you. These were old masons word return 12 years before the thnstitution was written. They became the blueprint for the first ten amendments known as the bill ofs rights. It was mason, not jefferson or madison, not hamilton who wrote the first version of the amendment the right to bear arms and i found that to be amazing. 12 years before the constitution was even written, quote committees for the Second Amendment, click on a well regulated militia composed the body of the people. It is proper, natural and safe defense of a free state. Thats his wife who died at the age of 39. Mason loved and adored his wife and 12 children and had 25 grandchildren. He also left his books, estate, good wine, architecture hunting, fishing, history,to the commonwealth of virginia and the latest in forming ideas. At the home he built, mason discovered the pleasures of scholarly pursuit were an alternating world of quiet and solitude. A devoted family man and unlike some other founders of the note that was never a hint or suspicion involving his personal life. Indeed it is and possible to fully understand the intent for liberty, sacrificing virtue, the words that have explicit meaning in the 18th century apart from his family examination of thett letters and documents that revealed a caring husband and doting father. His sons recollections give an additional window into the private life of mason. He never seems to prefer the companionship and priced good manners although born privileged, he opposed all the trappings of an aristocratic society. He believed in america and liberty was his chief concern. Individual freedom was his chief concern. The freedom of the spirit of thf freedom of mind. Although he didnt attend college he was a cultivated gentleman. He didnt attend college or law school like i said if jefferson wwere with madison. Mason emerged as a lifelong advocate of education for all in proportion to their merit. To h call him a vote of the enlightenment is the best way to sum up this false. Masons political strength lay in his many friendships among the leaders of all shades off political vigor. One of his best friends was of course George Washington, and in fact they had a tremendous falling out after mason refused to sign the constitution, and that ended their 30 year friendship. Mason assumed responsibilities by virtue of the towering intellect. At times com, he may have seemed remote, and his sensitivities to criticism or recognized by somey some as a t character flaw, but his colleagues also recognizedot mason as a devoted family man and a loyal friend. His industry couldnt be questioned but he didnt become a soldier during the war due to age and Health Committee was recognized as a man of capacity and courage. It seemed almost impossible for george mason to be familiar to anyone outside of his immediate family. He concentrated his attention on his large family. His personal papers are not voluminous compared to those of jefferson, washington and madison. The definitive edition from a comparatively scanty three volumes, the diversion gear arrives from both politics and family considerations. Both george mason and Patrick Henry curtailed political careers after the constitutional onconvention in 1787 and the Virginia Ratifying Conventionhef 1788. In 1820, his grandson george mason the fifth, began to correspond that he knew his grandfather includingam James Madison. Madison sympathized with the young mans struggle to gather the papers. He said and wrote of masons achievements, quote, but highly distinguished as he was, accounts are scanned and those of his contemporaries, far to hint of intellectual matters. Matters. Hes he was a man that simply ro to sign the constitution this is not in my view a historically accurate picture of mason. His generosity was unmatched when it came to his family,is solicited to his beloved mother while she wasr still alive as well to his younger brother and sister. By adulthood, he was already begun to be a voracious collector of cooks. Sql to visit the arts, sciences and agriculture and even though he lost his wife at the age of 39 and lifelong friendship with George Washington over his objections to the constitution, mason believed i believes in the fundamental goodness of life. A study of surviving documents and letters that revealed masons intricate character for those who commented on his life have captured him as a reluctant statesman, a gentleman revolutionary, a man who didnt sign the constitution. Indeed, he may be all of these things, but an examination of the career that reveals a broader picture of political contributions that span his entire adult life. It discloses his talents and persistence as a writer and reformer, legislature and representative, militia officer, vocal church parish, trustee for the town of alexandria, treasurer of the land speculation company. Its unfortunate that its a dissenting delicate to the constitution as it was called in 1787 in philadelphia. He was one of three men who didnt sign the constitution. He refused to sign the documents that he perceived sanctioned human slavery for the f next 20 years. The constitution had a compromise for another 20 years and he objected to that. But his main objection to the constitution was a omission of a bill of rights. There was no bill of rights for the people, he said, and that is the fundamental reason he did not sign the constitution. The first six words to the famous objection he wrote were heard in every town and every village. There is no declaration of rights. He carried his struggle for the federal bill of rights to the r people and lived barely long enough to see his efforts crowned with congressional victory, the monumental bill of rights. Although professional historians are familiar with masons legacy, it seems that his renowned his name is grounded in public obscurity. He is by far one of the most unknown figures in american history, a remote man with more respect than is known by the general public. The perception that he seemed like franklin and there were thh of focused dominance of George Washington or the personal charms of Thomas Jefferson. In fact, they send us so much in our collective memory that hes become nothing more than a modest statute in washington, d. C. In the contemporary grasp as superlatives torl describe geore Mason Madison exhibited mason says the greatest talent for the debate of demand i have seen, heard or speak. Jefferson complemented his mind as great and powerful. The position met mason in williamsburg within days of arriving in america. As they said in my opinion, mason wasnt well known enough the italian ranked mason is one of the intellectual giants writing that, quote, mason is one of the strong very rare intellects which are created only by a special effort of nature, like that of a machiavellian galileo. Most people know little of the private life and the price of gold of hamilton and jefferson have recently attracted a great deal of attention. It also touches on the significant contributions to the political lives and liberties. As before, during and after the revolution to a great personal cost confronted and entangled history of slavery in the era of the political revolution. What i hope to establish is the case for masons elevated fame placing him among the most famous american founders for both civil rights and freedom of religion. M James Madison gets credit for the bill of rights whereas he initially opposed the concept and agreed to support such documents only as a last resort. George mason by contrast. You rightly deserves to be considered one of the fathers of the National Government and indeed our greatest political documents, the declaration of independence, the bill of rights to the constitution all formed a series of concentric circles leading back to george mason. In my view, mason should emerge as one of the preeminent literary architects of the american revolution. Most americans should read his declaration of rights and later virginia constitution as a part of the common stock of political and journalistic discourse the literary skills of medicine and the personality and grumpy temperament of john adams. Masons wife could yield a most tangled political [cheering] ined u. S. History. Why then is mason not amongst the card galleries of the famed patriot and is that mostos americans do not know mason as well as they should. Especially when we reflect on who he was and what he achieved. Virginia, devoted husband and father,nd 25 grandchildren, farmer, philosopher, botanist, musician flu went into languages architect of the declaration of independence and the bill of rights and one of the strongest proponents in the america of religious liberty in history. Losers received little credit for history, the most historical impressions depict him as a patriot who lost his political arguments in philadelphia thenhe took his pen and quell and went home and thats why he reinvented for his own reasons. I hope to give renewed look at the character, life and accomplishments. Mason is shownto in my book to e a compassionate, sensitive, well read boy who matured into an accomplished statesman, devoted husband and father. Jefferson never made a secret of the fact that he revered george mason. Ma they called him the wisest man of his generation. They said charter of the rights of human beings much more fully than jefferson did in the immortal paragraph in the more famous document referring to the declaration of rights. If the contemporary impact of the declaration he went on to say there could be no possible question. More than any other single american, did you hear that, more than any other single american, george mason may be regarded as the herald of the new era. Quite simply, mason developed the renaissance interest both nwithin a budding conviction wih the fate of individual liberty, freedom is paramount to the governmental power. He believed individual freedom is a natural right. Team wrote in his virginia writes, quote, all of the powers invested in and consequentially derived from the people that the government is and ought to be instituted for the common benefit, protection and security of the people, nation or community. The literary skills helped propely the colonies towards independence. He drafted and viewed some of the most creative and consequential political text in revolutionary history, yet history has anointed others with same while mason has languished in relative obscurity. I hope separating this recognition from the politicalpo contemporaries will be abundantly clear at the end of my biography. It is said that biography ends with death. However, as did most great statesman, he thought of the next generation had he lived longer perhaps he could have found a viable solution for the next generation to end slavery, an institution that he condemned in the most stringent terms, yet he never freed his own slaves. I hope to have represented masons with the reader can feel the patriot, father, husband, farmer, scholar. No doubt he still is my biography will invite the reader to invite patriotism as mason did in the broad sense while appreciating the need as well as the necessity of political debate in a free society. As one historian eloquently concluded, quote, and histolytica valuations, actions speak louder than words. Emulation rather than rhetorical evaluation by men and women of wisdom and virtue is the better test. By that world, lets b mason be judged. Finally, george masons truerg importance is to be found in the public achievements the rights of theve human spirit, life and liberty. Since the political authorship should make them an enduring historical figure like jefferson with his literary brilliance, but declaration othe declaratiod be considered a monumental and important text. The last thing written principles shielded mankind from, quote, the lash of tyrants. As a publicly expressed by one of the scholars, the final legacy suggested a political genius. Those who carry the torch of freedom are still forgotten. Perhaps to be rediscovered sentries later. The words and deeds offer an abiding advocacy on individual liberties and constitutional government. Which in my view would have a few weeks of. Thank you very much. [applause] iowa declined to take any questions i think you just have to go to the podium. I was drunk when youve quoted masons draft of the Second Amendment which became a Second Amendment and as i heard you say that, it didnt appear that there was anth individual righto bear arms. Is that a correct interpretation . For the individuals rights to bear arms, the major goal and objection to the constitution was that he was afraid of another george the third. He was afraid they would turn into a tyranny he believes the individual had the right to arm them even though he didnt put thethanin the actual document tt phrase that you just said brings potent in my ears right now and it says to shielded mankind from the lash of tyrants, how do you think mason might view the development and integration of Artificial Intelligence into the society. Would he view this inevitability has the potential threat to the individual human rights . Mason was near a genius and Thomas Jefferson was near a genius. I dont think they thought that far in advance. Quite frankly, in going back to his main call was for individual rights and liberties. He was against anything of the governmentnt intruding on the individuals rights and individual liberties. I dont know that i will say one of his major goals in the Major Concerns with the freedom of the press so he would believe very strongly in a freedom of the press freedom of expression as far as that. You seem to be extremely familiar. Youve done your research. Do you think that he might feel the need to define individual efnow as organic . I have no idea. Id really appreciate your research. Thank you for the question. Can you tell us the reasons why the brilliant men that wrote the constitution also knew about the ideas in the declaration of rights why did these writers initially object to and reject the ideas of the declaration of rights which they eventually agreed to in the bill which ratification requires is the bill of rights . That is a great question and that is the essence of the disagreement between mason and washington and madison at the convention. It is superfluous to the constitution. They thought of anything that wasnanything thatwasnt in then reverted back to the states and they did not need a document to say that there was individual liberty. They believed that it was superfluous. Mason completely disagree and so did Patrick Henry. He wanted an individual document amended to the constitution, integrating the bill of rights. The rights to a jury trial, the right to a free press, the right to free expression. He believed th believed that the written out. Washington andad madison thought that was superfluous and was already inherent in the institution. You may have given answer to this question just now, but in virginia politics at the time, was mason more closely aligned with jefferson and madison were with Patrick Henry . Jefferson was a colleague of Patrick Henry, Patrick Henry and he teamed up in the Virginia Ratifying Convention to try to defeat or at least get a bill of rights amended to the new constitution. Succumbinconstitution. Subcommittee wasuccumbing he wao jefferson, but he was a political ally of Patrick Henry at the ratified convention and in fact, with him, patric patriy was one of the objectors to the constitution. They came within i think three or four votes in the Virginia Ratifying Convention defeating the constitution. The o in the bill of rights and the compromise t that took place, we there any particular rights that were if you will on the original list that did not survive the process . There were different amendments of the virginia ratifyinthat the virginiaratifye actually sent to congress and James Madison expertly and i give them credit. Nine states have to ratify the Constitution Convention comes with each state has their own set of amendments, but i believe there were approximately 24 that came out of the Virginia Ratifying Convention. But, going back again to masons Major Concerns and freedom. Fullstoofthought freedom of s an absolute fundamental. You mentioned nations access to the extensive an food family library. How coul could this have benefid his thinking the most . I have one chapter in the book that was devoted exclusively to that. He read extensively in his uncles library 1500 williams,un the team had all of the english journals and had a major influence on him, but montesquieu is what he ripped thete most and gave him the idea of the separation that there should be three branches of government. He was so wellwritten and welll versed on all of the bill of rights in 1869 that the magna carta, rousseaus writing and that is why he is a genius because he knew and had read all of these constitutions before. We have one more. I have a question on the role slavery played [inaudible] im not sure they found to be tiedwe together. One of the reasons as there was a compromise at the Constitutional Convention between the northern and s Southern States he was against slavery and wrote about slavery and thought it was anio abomination. Like jefferson, he didnt know how to solve a problem of slavery iny his lifetime. That is one of the reasons he didnt find the constitution. Could you please fill us in a little bit more on his education is a commented he had a tutor, how old was he when he started and also his age with regards to jefferson. He did have tutors as a child both of the folders died when they were young boys so he didnt have a mentor so to spe speak. So he had a vast library o over 1500 volumes of english law so he was under the tutelage after his father died and john mercer basically taught him to become a lawyer and reading from the age of love for all of these various volumes but one of the interesting things he didnt mention him hed been married seven years after his wife died, a second marriage and they didnt have children but at the time of the death of his wife, he had 12 children to raise by himself. I think thats it. Thank you so much. I appreciate it. [applause] there will be a book signing [inaudible] it was very important for me to acknowledge the class position of my sons and their rarity of their experiences not just for children with children in the United States. They live in a home with thousands of books and remarkable resources. Its important to acknowledge that i dont want to participate in a fiction that also i think follows when those of us are black people have a large voice to represent a particular experience. And at the same time, or they deal with race and racism everyday of their lives, they see it and they know it. In the progressive schools, on the street, so the reality is i have to arm them with a set of skills and intellectual tools that allow them to flourish in schools and values, but also a way to make sense of the hostility that they encounter every day from people at times whose responsibility is to treat them as community members. Thats the world that they occupy and sometimes people they spend more hours with everyday then they do with me and that is a complicated task. I do want it to trigger a kind of ethical reflection on their part. All of these things come up when we have these cross racial and conquers over asked class encounters and we tend not to be respectful of them in part because as James Baldwin talked about americans are addicted to innocents. Im not bad, im not saying i dont want to be, but it becomes hard to engage in this behavior. I want them to be able to assess what they are experiencing and not internalized the venom to have sort of antidotes at the ready but also to field as though there are spaces where they can return and actually acknowledge the experience of suffering and pain that that is part of the work of intimacy that they have with the part of the actual work the post is a sponsor and will be for a long time to come. Thats my great pleasure to be here with these three authors let me briefly introduce them. A fiction and Nonfiction Author whose books include across 100 mountains, dancing with butterflies, the memoir of the distance between us which was a finalist in the prize and the new book a dream called home is also a memoir that received multiple awards including the literary a