The Founders and the Constitution, Part 4: John Dickinson
Commentary
Like James Madison, the subject of the last essay in this series, John Dickinson was one of those Founders about whom it could be said, “Without him, we probably would not have a Constitution.” However, Madison’s contribution is justly renown, while Dickinson’s has been unfairly overlooked.
Testifying to the proposition that Dickinson should get more credit was Forrest McDonald, the eminent 20th century constitutional historian I mentioned in the previous essay. McDonald ranked Dickinson as the most underrated of all the Founders. McDonald made that assessment in 1985, and when Dickinson’s convention notes came to light in 1987, they supported it….