Noah Webster -- a Forgotten Fouder
The Constitutionist
By Steven Maikoski, Author: “The Real Constitution and its Real Enemies”
and soon: The Constitutionist Speaks
constitutionist@protonmail.com
5-19-26 Newsletter
A Forgotten Founder: Noah Webster
Noah Webster was not a writer of our Constitution, but he was a very influential advocate for the ratification of the new instrument of government. The more I have read about him, the more I appreciate his knowledge and his wish for a proper education to be the foundation of a successful United States.
Imagine having the mental acuity, education, and objective nature that enables you to write the first American Dictionary of the English Language. He did it in 1828. Known as the Father of American Scholarship and Education, Webster urged the citizens of the new nation to embrace their unique opportunity to build the best nation on Earth.
In advocating the ratification of the new Constitution, Noah Webster wrote:
“But the origin of the AMERICAN REPUBLIC is distinguished by peculiar circumstances. Other nations have been driven together by fear and necessity—the governments have generally been the result of a single man’s observations; or the offspring of particular interests. IN the formation of our constitution, the wisdom of all ages is collected—the legislators of antiquity are consulted—as well as the opinions and interests of the millions who are concerned. In short, in it an empire of reason.
Years later, Webster wrote to Americans, imploring them to energize their new nation:
“Americans, unshackle your minds, and act like independent beings…. You have now an interest of your own to augment and defend: You have an empire to raise and support by your exertions, and a national character to establish and extend by your wisdom and virtues. To effect these great objects, it is necessary to frame a liberal plan of policy, and build it on a broad system of education. Before this system can be formed and embraced, the Americans must believe, and act from the belief, that it is dishonorable to waste life in mimicking the follies of other nations and basking in the sunshine of foreign glory.”
Webster also argued that English should be the official language of the US government.
“Besides this, a national language is a band of national union. Every engine should be employed to render the people of this country national; to call their attachments home to their own country; and to inspire them with the pride of national character. However they may boast of Independence, and the freedom of their government, yet their opinions are not sufficiently independent; an astonishing respect for the arts and literature of their parent country, and a blind imitation of its manners, are still prevalent among the Americans. Thus an habitual respect for another country, deserved indeed and once laudable, turns their attention from their own interests, and prevents their respecting themselves.”
To clarify his point, he desired that English be the language of our federal government, thereby eliminating its need to print ballots and other materials in several languages, and “press 1 for.”
Imagine our nation if it had “officialized” English in 1800.
Steve
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