Speech of Mr. Cushing, of Massachusetts, on the Right of Petition

Cushing, Caleb, 1800-1879Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

Rating 3.1

Word count: 45K words
Chapters: 5

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Speech of Mr. Cushing, of Massachusetts, on the Right of Petition, by Caleb CushingAuthor: Cushing, Caleb, 1800-1879,Language: English, Class: E300: History: America: Revolution to the Civil War (1783-1861), Release Date: Nov 9, 2004

Editor's review

This is the text of a speech by the American statesman Caleb Cushing on the right of petition, a primary source for nineteenth-century American congressional debate and constitutional discussion. It is short but tightly focused: how the right of petition as a political right—its scope, procedures, and limits—was understood and asserted in the political context of the time. For readers studying early American constitutional history, the style of congressional debate, and political rhetoric, the speech offers a direct linguistic sample for observing how politicians of the day organized arguments, cited precedents, and responded to controversy in a parliamentary setting. Its value lies mainly in the historical source material and the rhetoric rather than in systematic theoretical exposition. Because it is a single speech, it is easy to misjudge the specific occasion that triggered the debate without context; it is best read alongside sources on American political history from the founding through the antebellum period. Overall it suits supplementary reading for specialized study, not general history or an introductory textbook.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Undergraduate and graduate students studying early American constitutional history and congressional debate
Readers in law and political science concerned with the right of petition and the evolution of the discourse of political rights
Readers who need the original text of a nineteenth-century American political speech as material for rhetorical analysis
Teachers and editors who need to organize or select from public-domain American historical documents

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking a systematic treatment of petition-right theory who need a complete scholarly account
General readers without English reading ability who want only a Chinese overview
Casual readers expecting continuous narrative or personal stories who have little interest in the parliamentary speech genre

Reading tips

First understand the political background and the focus of the controversy behind the speech, then read the text, so as to avoid misjudging its arguments out of context.
Read through once to grasp the position and structure, then read again marking the steps of argument and the authorities cited, and make a brief outline.
Read it alongside related congressional debates or political documents of the same period, comparing how different figures phrased the right of petition.
If using it for writing, note the original page or paragraph location when quoting key sentences, to facilitate checking and citation.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

What is the core issue discussed in this speech?

The core is the right of petition—the right of the people to express grievances to the legislature within a political system. The speech addresses the basis, boundaries, and exercise of this right, reflecting how political rights were understood and contested in nineteenth-century American congressional debate. Readers need to grasp the specific arguments in light of the political controversies of the time rather than treating the speech as an abstract treatise on rights.

Does its shortness mean it is easy to read?

Although short, it is a nineteenth-century parliamentary speech with long sentences, dense rhetoric, and references to political figures and events of the time. Readers with good English reading ability can read it through, but to understand precisely what the argument is aimed at they still need relevant historical background; otherwise they may grasp only the literal meaning and miss the substance of the controversy.

Is it suitable as an introduction to American constitutional history?

Not very suitable as a standalone introduction. It is a single speech, tightly focused and dependent on a specific political context, and lacks a systematic framework. Introductory readers should first read an overview of American constitutional history and then use this speech to observe how a specific debate unfolded; readers with some background can treat it as a sample primary document for analyzing political rhetoric and the discourse of rights.

What should be noted when citing this speech?

It should be noted that this is a polemical text delivered on a specific occasion, with a clear position, and is not equivalent to a complete treatment of the right of petition. When citing it, one should state the time, occasion, and background of the controversy, and distinguish the speaker's claims from later scholarly assessments. It is advisable to read it alongside relevant historical studies and avoid treating statements in a single speech as general conclusions.

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About the author

Cushing, Caleb, 1800-1879 Author · American · 1800–1879

Caleb Cushing (1800–1879) was an American politician and diplomat who served as the first United States Commissioner to China. He entered public life as a lawyer and remained active in American politics for much of his career, becoming known for his congressional speeches on the right of petition. His representative work is Speech of Mr. Cushing, of Massachusetts, on the Right of Petition. The speech addresses the right of petition and reflects his debating style and public concerns as a political figure. Public information on his family background, education, and official career is limited, so this introduction outlines only his identity and work based on the available records and commonly accepted historical facts.