Using historical events and the Constitution, James Jackson Kilpatrick makes a passionate argument for enforcing state's rights as a necessary measure to secure the continued prosperity of the USA.

As a native of Virginia state, which played a crucial role in the genesis of the American nation, Kilpatrick is familiar with the precedents and virtues that make up state's rights. The various legal cases that established the necessity of securing rights for the constituent territories of the United States are examined; early on in the book, these predate the formation of the USA and the ratification of the U. S. Constitution and its pertinent amendments. The many court battles recounted, spanning over two centuries of case law, offer a litany of justifications for Kilpatrick's favor of state's rights.

In Kilpatrick's estimation, a government is the most benevolent when it is closest to the people and accessible by them.