Frederick Grimke

Frederick Grimke 1791-1863

I. Frederick Grimke was a reclusive man and little is known about his life.

A. He was born in Charleston, South Carolina in 1791, he was the older brother of Sarah and Angelina Grimke, the famous abolitionists.

B. He attended Yale College and graduated in 1810 at the age of 19 (Ekirch 76). He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and senior orator of his class (Ward 5).

C. Upon graduation, he went back to Charleston and worked with his father, a lawyer.

D. After his father died, he moved to Columbus, Ohio and then Chillicothe, Ohio.

E. In 1830, he began a three year term as a judge in the Court of Common Pleas, and in 1836, he began serving on the Ohio Supreme Court (Ekirch 76).

F. In 1842, he resigned from the Court to work on his writings, after this time he almost a total recluse.

G. In his will, he requested that his writings be published and distributed to certain libraries and colleges (Ekirch 77).

II. The Nature and Tendency of Free Institutions

A. General information about the work.

1. It was originally published in 1848,1856 and 1871.

2. The writing style resembles a legal style. The book did not receive widespread popularity and it is frequently compared to Alexis de Toqueville's Democracy in America (Ekirch 75).

B. Book 2, Chapter 4 -- Political Toleration -- Is it Practical?

1. His answer to the question is yes. Toleration can be practical. He begins with the example of religious toleration and how it has brought about freedom for many groups.

2. Religion must be removed from the political realm. This will remove the civil magistrates power to give one sect a greater position than another.

3. He argues that there are two ways to bring about political toleration: a written constitution created by representatives of the people and political equality.  The United States has adopted both principles (255-56).

a. A written constitution has solved many of the problems European countries have because it takes power away from the government (255). On controversial issues, America has established a system of toleration: first, everyone is free to express their ideas on the subject and second, the minority is represented in government consistent with their numbers (255).

b. Political equality encourages men to tolerate the opinions of others. In the multiplicity of opinions, toleration is established (256). This forces men to realize they cannot be free unless they allow others to be free.

C. Book 3, Chapter 1 -- Religious Institutions. 1. He argues against Hume' s notion of an established church. Grimke believes  e~ the problem is not with one or several members with opposing opinions, but with mixing politics and religion (341).

2. When the state gets involved in religious matters, it unbalances the relationship of God and man (343).

3. Whereas Hume believed that the way to preserve the peace was to place power in one, Grimke argues peace was "never so well guarded as when it is dispersed to many" (344). Taking away freedom from one group will only cause it to become more vocal with their dissent.

4. For Grirnke, one of the main problems with an established church is it henders the freedom of thought. When the church leaders have an interest in maintaining the state, they will be less likely to criticize the government and the people will no longer distinguish between the king's authority and God's authority (346-47). 5. The separation of church and state is important because it brings about the most "political tranquillity of the state than any single civil regulation which has ever been made"(354).

6. Religious and civil liberty are best protected by "unbounded freedom of thought." This will create many differing opinions, each hoping to influence others. "Each wants to be free, but none can succeed in obtaining freedom unless all are permitted to enjoy it."

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