No. of Recommendations: 1
So prior to the 14th, you could be compelled to testify against yourself (at the state level), yes? (for example)
Seems like until the 14th, you really weren't secure in your person since the states (especially in the 18th and 19th centuries) were more involved in peoples' lives. Even today, most laws I can think of would be state laws. If I'm arrested, it will be state/city police (most likely). The Feds get more involved in my protection (e.g. labor laws, consumer protection, etc), than in enforcement of (trivially) traffic laws or noise ordinances or burglaries.
Without the 14th, they could beat a confession out of me, and I would have no recourse. Amazed it took 100 years for them to think of that.
