The State: an Oration Before the Rhode Island Alpha of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, at Brown University, September 2, 1862

The State: An Oration Before The Rhode Island Alpha Of The Phi Beta Kappa Society, At Brown University, September 2, 1862 by Thatcher Thayer. The discourse presents the State as a living, moral unity rather than a mere collection of individuals, arguing that social and religious aims underlie political form. Thayer traces the divine and natural foundations of government, and defines the State's substance as government (legislative, judicial, and executive) with functions that include restraining, protecting, and developing the citizen. He defends democracy as the current American form, while examining how states form and transform—through evolution, constitutional change, or revolution—yet maintains that true liberty lies in harmony with law and the governance of a higher moral order. The speaker critiques contemporary European powers, contends with the perils of slavery and secession, and advocates a higher class of educated leaders—an Aristotelian aristocracy trained to guide public life and elevate the masses through education. The address culminates in a call for unity, sacrifice, and a hopeful workplace of a strengthened state under divine governance.