open up the floor for questions, i might just read this statement just read this statement from william seward just as all of this is being wrapped up, the compromise of 1850. seward was an interesting man. he truly was a civil libertarian. truly a person who believed that the rights of african-americans were of concern. and this is what he said, "i think it's wrong to hold men in bondage at any time and under any circumstances, and i think it right and just, therefore, to abolish slavery when we have the power at any time, at all times, under any circumstances. if the presence is not the right time, then there must be or there must have been some other time, and that must be a time that has already passed or time yet to come. well, sir, slavery has existed here under the sarvenction of congress for 50 years undisturbed. the right time, then, has not passed. it must, therefore, be a future time. will the gentlemen oblige me and the country by telling us how far in the future the right time lies?" he also confected a construction or interpindication of the constitution which -- interpretation o

when he became secretary of state for the last time he actually acquired secretary of state william seward'souse near the white house, near lafayette square, and that's the house he died in in 1893. >> and he had sold the dupont circle at that point. >> yes, that's correct. >> i mean, he -- he was there for a very short time. he had one of his daughters was married there. his wife hated the place. it's absolutely ma'am molt, and it's still standing on massachusetts avenue. >> 2000 massachusetts avenue. those in washington, d.c. interested in james g. blaine in a would like to see that period of history. 12 minutes left and pittsfield, maine is up next. hi, stanley. >> caller: hi. i would like to know are there any books that either elizabeth or earle may recommend for reading in regards to mr. blaine? >> i would suggest the book you're holding right there, and if you want to know about the time period or about the state in addition to this. some other books you can recommend. >> well, yes. i would agree neil's book is the most recent, the most up to date, the most comprehensive, understandin

what she might know regarding the personal relationship tie-in between justice hughes and the william seward family from auburn, new york, who seward was lincoln's secretary of state, and also part of the reason i'm calling is i've been puzzling for some time. back in that era, as the speech of justice hughes was indicating, the anti-racists of the communities were the republicans, and that seems to have switched around the time of woodrow wilson's presidency. and when he embraced w. several b. dubois. i was curious to know what you might know about that. >> i'm not as familiar with the relationship to seward, so i have to defer to others on that. there is an interesting story about hughes and race. he invited booker t. washington to an event, and it was a somewhat controversial invitation. he personally escorted him to a table. hughes pretty much retained a fairly uniform position on race throughout his career, where he was in favor of at least greater equality. i'm not sure to what extent full equality, but against the backdrop of this change you're pointing out where previously republican

regarding the personal relationship tie-ins between justice hughes and the williams sue ard family from auburn, new york, seward was lincoln's secretary of state. and also part of the reason i'm calling, i'm been puzzling for some time back in that era as the speech by justice hughes was indicating, the anti-racist of community were the republicans and that seems to have switched and around the time of wood row wilson's presidency. and when he embraced dubois. what you might know about that. >> that's a great question. i'm not as familiar with the relationship to seward so i'll have to defer to others. he invited booker t. washington to an event and it was somewhat controversial invitation, personally escorted him to a table. hughes pretty much retained a uniform important on race throughout his career where he was in favor of at least greater equality, i'm not sure to what extent full equality. but against the backdrop of this change you're pointing out, where previously republicans had been much more in favor of racial equality and then the democrats also sort of took on that mantle. and returning to the cour

seward plains. the 17th century it's a very turbulent period, civil war, the execution of charles i of the restoration and finally the ouster of the stewards when william and mary came to the throne after the so-called glorious revolution of 1688 so a very chaotic. in english history resulting after 1689 in what i think you would call the foundations of modern british government. that in summary form is the english side of the story. what's interesting here is you can see why last year the english would be celebrating magna carta, that's where it came from but why would americans care? and why did it come to be part and parcel of american constitutional law? well, magna carta came to america with the very first colonial charters. the virginia company charter of 1606 had a provision aside from all the commercial provisions, there was one provision that said that those who emigrated to virginia would enjoy the privileges, franchises and immunities that they would have enjoyed back in england. in other words, if theypulled up roots and came to this wilderness called virginia they didn't leave their right behind . and whatever those rights were were not sp