What Kind of Nation Thomas Jefferson, John Marshall, and the Epic Struggle to Create a United States

The bitter and protracted struggle between President Thomas Jefferson and Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall defined the basic constitutional relationship between the executive and judicial branches of government. More than one hundred fifty years later, their clashes still reverberate in constitutional debates and political battles.In this dramatic and fully accessible account of these titans of the early republic and their fiercely held ideas, James F. Simon brings to life the early history of the nation and sheds new light on the highly charged battle to balance the powers of the federal government and the rights of the states. A fascinating look at two of the nation's greatest statesmen and shrewdest politicians,What Kind of Nationpresents a cogent, unbiased assessment of their lasting impact on American government.

James F. Simon, a former correspondent and contributing editor at Time, is the Martin Professor of Law and Dean Emeritus at New York Law School. The author of several critically acclaimed books, including The Antagonists and The Center Holds, he lives in West Nyack, New York.

Contents

PROLOGUE

1. "Swindling Propositions"
2. "The Reign of Witches"
3. A Sense of Duty
4. Defending the President
5. Prelude to a Revolution
6. "The Fangs of Jefferson"
7. "The Least Dangerous" Branch
8. Mr. Marbury's Missing Commission
9. A "Bungling Way" to Remove Judges
10. Treason Against the United States
11. Final Battles

EPILOGUE

SOURCE NOTES

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

INDEX