On tuesday, september noon Sidney Blumenthal will tell us about his recently released volume three of the biography of abraham lincoln, all the powers of birth, the political life of abraham lincoln, 18561853. On monday, september 16 at 7 associate Justice Neil Gorsuch will tell us about his new book of republic if you can keep it and which explores essential aspects of the constitution and the importance of civic education, civil discourse and mutual respect. Check our website archives. Gov or sign up at the table outside the few to get email updates. You will point you will find information about other archives programs and activities. Another way to get more involved in the National Archives is to become a member of the National Archives foundation, the foundation support all of our education and outreach activities and you can check out their website archivesfoundation. Org to learn more about their organization and join online. Upstairs in the rotunda for the charters of freedom two narrows murals commemorate two founding documents of our nation, the declaration of independence and the United States constitution. In the depiction of constitution the center group of figures represents those who played key roles in the creation of that document along with George Washington, James Madison and Benjamin Franklin is george mason, one of the five most frequent speakers at the Constitutional Convention. But at the conclusion of the convention in september 1789, mason did mason did not sign the document. His primary objection the lack of a declaration individual rights like to the creation of the third charter in the rotunda, the bill of rights. Today we look for to hearing me about george masons Critical Role in our nation from his biographer william hyland. Hes a native of virginia and the author four widely praised historical biographies including in defense of Thomas Jefferson which was nominated for the virginia literary award. Is also written about a biography of fame jeffersonian historian Thomas Malone and martha jefferson, and intimate life with Thomas Jefferson. Hes a a litigation attorney wh the National Firm of vernon and boeing with nearly 30 years and highprofile trials experience. He is also imagine professor glaude at myths and University College of law and teaches undergraduate course in political science. His professional lectures have included speeches at the National Archives and Colonial Williamsburg foundation. Hes a member of the virginia and new york or stroke societies answer is on the board of directors of the Thomas Jefferson heritage society. Please welcome william hyland. [applause] thank you, thank you to the archives for inviting me back. This is my third time back here, and i enjoy my visits back to because i really feel a closeness of history when i come back year. It really gives me chills to know that the three most Important Documents in our founding history are just 200 feet above us, the declaration of independence, the constitution of the United States, and the bill of rights. And i very much feel close to history when i come here. As david told you, and ducks want to i want to think again for inviting me, i am a lawyer by practice and always start off my speeches telling a story about lawyers. Even though george mason was not a voter he had a wealth of legal knowledge like he did not go to law school like jefferson and madison. But this is a story that i want to tell about a lawyer, a doctor, a priest and a little boy. They were all on a small plane and writing together, they develop, the small plane developed a little engine trouble. The pilot said we are having trouble, everyone will to bail out. Everyone for himself. Grab a parachute and jumped out. The doctor grabbed the first parachute and said, im a doctor, i save lives so i must live, and jumped out with the first parachute. Lawyers are the most important people in the world, thus i must live, grabbed a parachute, jumped out. The priest looked at the boy and it was only one parachute left and said my son, i have lived a long and prosperous life. You have your whole life ahead of you. Take the last parachute and take off. The little boy turned to the priest and said, no worries, father. The smartest man in the world just took off with my backpack. [laughing] lets talk about george mason. Not a lot of people know about george mason. They basically no that george mason university, may be the final form that they reached a few years ago, but i have no idea who george mason is, and i hope my book changes that opinion. If Thomas Jefferson was a genius both professionally and personally, which he was, then his mentor george mason was a near genius. America was woven together on three review pieces of paper, the declaration of independence, the constitution, and the bill of rights. George mason had a hand in formulating, writing the blueprints for all three documents. In 1776 mason emerged as a revolutionary and left an indelible footprint as one of the ablest constitutionalists of alltime. And historian ralph kitchens opinion quote, mason became generally acknowledged as virginias premier republican theorist. Even though he never attended college or law school or was selftaught and his uncle 1500 Volume Library in virginia. Yet masons through enduring legacy was the creation of the american experiment, and nations capacity to create hope in a world confused in fear. Some of masons key writings is an opposing accomplishment, yet in each instance masons individual work was absorbed by a Political Coalition and his name lost to public fame. Anonymity, however, was more than a byproduct of the character of his historical work. Work. Also became a matter of preference for mason. His advice to his sons was quote to refer the happiness and independence and a private station to the troubled indexation of a public business. That was an advice he followed all his life. His colleagues elected into colleagues were met with persistent refusal on his part. Yet his crew and detailed constitutional hypnotize many elected audiences. As one scholar concluded, george mason was a thinker, and advisor rather than a publicist. My biography of mason is not a patriotic as nor a freefall into mason idolatry. It is a broad portrait of mason in the world in which he lived. While not getting his vibrant intellectual life, i tried together anecdotal accounts that will bring this brilliant man to life for the public. The resulting portrait i hope will operate fresh and surprising interpretation even to those best versed in the literature of the revolutionary period. I hope my book blended together the political and personal sides of masons story, leaving one with the inevitable conclusion, george mason deserves careful and renewed focus. Full historical notoriety has not been accorded to george mason. He attended to lack the multivolumes biographies that have burnished the other founders. And in my view has not been accorded the same that is to him. Every fact bearing upon the character and service of mason whose visionary mental gift help create a model formed government should receive a warm greeting from the public, and those who are interested in the origins of individual freedom. Mason grasped the conception of true liberty. His velocity of the authority of the citizens to control the government seemed thorough and complete. Yet his great labors are not as white widely known or established in the public might at some of the other founders. Mason hashed out blueprints for the declaration of independence, which was his virginia declaration of rights. It was said by one historian to have quote, more wisdom and concentration of thought in one sentence of it then it all former writings on the subject. Pretty powerful words. It is 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 happiness were masons own words written a month before jefferson and his eloquent version of the declaration of independence. Mason added the words to the constitution giving congress the power to quote, declare, not quote, make war. He also supplied the phrases aid and comfort in the definition of treason, and you wrote the famous words high crimes and misdemeanors in the impeachment clause. Most people dont know that. Along with madison, mason also wrote major portions of the oath of office that the modern president takes when sworn in today. Quite simply given the length and breadth of masons political writings and influence, his name should be more recognizable in the Public Domain and in the same context as with Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and alexander hamilton. Masons pragmatic mind had constitutional principles and in infuse them abstract theory into government reality. And mason never wavered on his core cherished convictions, individual rights and liberty over governmental power. Yet both jefferson and madison changed their views within the Political Climate of the times, suffering from what one prominent historian turned quote, a disarming ideological promiscuity. Unfortunately, history has confined mason to the second tier of historical significance. The goal of my book is not to take the recognition away from jefferson or madison or hamilton, but to assign more credit to mason. As jefferson himself admitted his authorship of the declaration of independence was quote, neither amy and originality of principle or sentiment, nor copied from any particular and previous writing. It was intended to be an expression of the american mind. In effect, masons virginia declaration of rights emerged as jeffersons brilliant and eloquent blueprint, if not first draft, of the declaration of independence. Masons layered personality also played a notable part in so many important field of intellectual thought, including government, law, the free exercise of religion, agriculture, architecture, and philosophy. He was among american authors of rights in the dependence whose delicate 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 did not progress swiftly. As england oppressive course became National Policy toward the colonies, mason met it with the resolution no less fixed and expressed forceful language. He wrote quote, though we are englands subjects, we would use every means which have been has given us to prevent our becoming slaves. With masons commanding strength and intellect he became aroused by the emotional appeal and vigor of words. All is at stake, he wrote to washington, and the little conveniences and comforts of life with set in competition with our liberty ought to be rejected not with reluctance, but with pleasure. Mason was not a bold commander Like Washington nor of fiery oratory like Patrick Henry, but gained his chief fame as a draftsman of the virginia declaration of rights. He rarely had a National Audience outside of his country, virginia, and only the slow passage of time revealed the full significance of his proposal. Yet mason did not rest once his words were written for his ideas circulated. He was the builder and at the center and architect of the american bill of rights which one scholar called arguably the most creative and consequential act of Political Leadership in american history. Masons virginia declaration of rights affirm our modern fundamental freedoms, the right to free press, the right to a jury trial, the right to not self incriminate you. These were all masons words written 12 years, 12 years before the constitution was written. They became the blueprint for the first ten amendments known as our bill of rights. It was mason, not jefferson, not madison, not hamilton, i wrote the first version of the Second Amendment, the right to bear arms. And i found that to be amazing. These were masons famous words, quote, again 12 years before the constitution was even written, quote, these were masons words on the Second Amendment, quote, a well regulated militia composed of the body of the people trained in arms is the proper natural and safe defense of a free state. Thats his wife who died at the age of 39. Masons love and adore his wife ann and their 12 children and he had 25 grandchildren. He also loved his books, his estate, good wine, architecture, horseback riding, hiking, fishing, history, the commonwealth of virginia, and the very latest in farming ideas. At dunstan hall the home he built, mason discover the pleasures of scholarly pursuit for an alternating world of quiet and solitude with the family. A devoted family man unlike some other founders that we know, that was never hit or suspicion of smarmy involving his personal life. Indeed, it is not possible to fully understand masons intensity for liberty, sacrifice in virtue, words that have explicit meaning in the 18th century, apart from his family. Examination of surviving letters and documents at gunston hall reveal a caring husband and doting father. His sons recollection gives us an additional window into the private life of mason at gunston hall. Mason never ceased to prefer the companionship of a superior mind and price good manners. Although born privileged he opposed all the trappings of an aristocratic society. He believed in america and in americans. Liberty was his chief concern. Individual freedom was his chief concern. The freedom of the spirit, the freedom of the mind. Mason, although he did not attend college, was a cultivated gentleman. He did not attend college or law school, like i said, with jefferson or with madison. Nascent emerged though is a a lifelong advocate of education for all in proportion to their merit. To call him of voters of the enlightenment is the best way to sum up his thoughts. Masons political strength lay in his many friendships among the leaders of all shades of 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 your friendship. Mason assumed responsibilities by virtue of his towering intellect. At times he may have seemed remote, even cloistered, and his sensitivity to criticism were recognized by some as a character flaw. But his colleagues also recognized mason as a devoted family man and loyal friend. Assets in any private circle. Masons industry would not be questioned, though we did not become due to age and health, he was recognized by his peers as a man of capacity and courage. It seemed almost impossible for george mason to be familiar with, to anyone outside of his immediate family. Mason concentrated his attention on his large family, not on posterity. His personal papers are not voluminous compared to the official papers of jefferson, washington and madison. The definitive edition of masons papers run a scant three volumes. The diversion derived from the politics and family considerations. Though george mason and Patrick Henry curtailed their political careers after the Constitutional Convention in 1787 and the Virginia Ratifying Convention in 1788, so the amassed are few papers in the first three president s. In 1820, masons grandson, george mason the sixth begin to correspond with prominent men the new his grandfather, including James Madison. Madison sympathize 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 more scanty than many of his contemporaries. Far inferior to them than intellectual powers and in public service. While some have largely dismissed mason as many simple refused 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, solicited to his beloved mother while she was still alive, as well to his younger brother and sister. My adulthood he was already he had already begun to be a voracious collector of. He cultivated the arts, sciences, and agriculture. And even though he lost his dear wife ann at the age of 39, and is lifelong friendship with George Washington over his objections to the constitution, mason believed in the fundamental goodness of life. Close study of surviving documents and letters have revealed masons intricate character. Those who have commented on masons life at captioned him as a reluctant statesman, a gentleman revolutionary, or the man who did not sign the constitution. Indeed, he may be all of these things, but on examination of his public career reveals a broad picture of political contributions that spanned his entire adult life. It discloses his talents and persistence as a writer and a reformer, a legislature and a representative, a militia officer, and local Church Parish vestry, a trustee for the town of alexandria, a treasurer of his western land speculation company, the ohio company. It is unfortunate that mason is remembered best as the dissenting delicate to quote the federal constitution as it was called in 1787 in philadelphia. He was one of three men who did not sign the constitution with Edmund Randolph turkey refused to sign the final document that he