John Taylor of Caroline (1753-1824) was one of the foremost
philosophers of the States' rights Jeffersonians of the early
national period. In keeping with his lifelong mission as a
"minority man," John Taylor wrote
Tyranny Unmasked not only to assault the protective
tariff and the mercantilist policies of the times but also "to
examine general principles in relation to commerce, political
economy, and a free government." Originally published in 1822,
it is the only major work of Taylor's that has never before been reprinted.
As an early discussion of the principles of governmental power and
their relationship to political economy and liberty,
Tyranny Unmasked is an important primary source in the
study of American history and political thought.
F. Thornton Miller is Professor of History at Southwest
Missouri State University.
