Remembering George Mason and the Virginia Declaration of Rights
https://mises.org/wire/remembering-george-mason-and-virginia-declaration-rights
Every July 4, Americans throw themselves a party to
celebrate our Independence Day. But while the date is heavy
on flags, fireworks, and red, white and blue-themed BBQ,
understanding the reasons why Americas founding is uniquely
worthy of celebration often gets little attention. However,
rather than bypassing the principles and ideals involved in
order to move directly to celebrations, we would be well-
served by giving June 12 a little more thought, as well.
That was the day the Virginia Declaration of Rights, penned
by George Mason, was ratified by the Fifth Virginia
Convention in 1776. And it has pride of place as the first
of several declarations of rights in the era weeks before
the Declaration of Independence and well before our Bill of
Rights and the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and
Citizen.