Blogging the Federalist Papers

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-360262962012-01-29T05:52:19.339-05:00Blogging the Federalist PapersIn this blog, I will read the Federalist Papers and discuss how they sound to the modern ear and whether they still reflect the principles of the government of the United States.Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.comBlogger651100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-14759438893275098752010-12-07T18:55:00.000-05:002010-12-07T18:55:20.595-05:00The Senate (No. 62)

Federalist 62 is brought to us by James Madison and concerns a general explanation of the Senate. He addresses first the qualifications for election to the Senate, which are pretty straightforward. Senators are meant to be older than Representatives, he writes, because "the nature of the senatorial trust, which, requiring greater extent of information and stability of character,

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-5363679399829170512010-12-06T18:22:00.001-05:002010-12-06T18:22:59.010-05:00The Same Subject Continued (No. 61)

In Federalist 61, Hamilton takes a third pass at the rules allowing the Congress to regulate the election of its own members. I'm convinced after the first two, but let's see what he has to say. First, he suggests that most anti-Federalists like that clause just fine, but they wish that it included a clause requiring the electors to vote in their home counties. This, presumably, would keep the

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-61385605661150900532010-11-22T20:17:00.004-05:002010-11-23T20:11:37.511-05:00The Same Subject Continued (No. 60)

In Federalist 60, Hamilton continues to explain why the Congress should have the power to regulate Congressional elections. He begins by addressing the fear that, if Congress can regulate its own elections, it will use that power to promote the election of Congressmen friendly to its interests. This he dismisses immediately as improbable and, indeed, impossible without provoking a rebellion by

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-23637133087930207472010-09-16T17:51:00.004-04:002010-09-16T18:25:01.694-04:00Concerning the Power of Congress to Regulate the Election of Members (No. 59)

In Federalist 59, James Madison passes the Publius pen to his friend (and future enemy) Alexander Hamilton. It's been all Madison since Hamilton's last number, so this makes a well-deserved break for the Virginian. Here Hamilton discusses "that provision of the Constitution which authorizes the national legislature to regulate, in the last resort, the election of its own members."

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-4394045386304778692010-06-22T17:40:00.007-04:002010-06-22T18:25:38.618-04:00Objection That The Number of Members Will Not Be Augmented as the Progress of Population Demands Considered (No. 58)

In the final charge against the Constitution with regards to the House of Representatives, anti-Federalists charge that the House will never increase beyond its initial 65 members. Mr. Madison picks up his pen again in Federalist 58 to refute them.To be fair to anti-Federalists here, there is no clause in the Constitution (then or now) that requires any particular number of representatives

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-66017400561299925072010-06-17T11:53:00.005-04:002010-06-17T19:03:16.139-04:00The Alleged Tendency of the New Plan to Elevate the Few at the Expense of the Many Considered in Connection with Representation (No. 57)

Madison addresses a more general complaint in Federalist 57: that the new House of Representatives will be a bunch of elitists who will have no sympathy for the masses. Madison thinks this attack is unwarranted, and is an attack on the whole idea of a republic. The House members have short terms, he points out, and are elected by the people. If the people elect the House every two years, the

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-57408154773609442782010-06-11T14:20:00.004-04:002010-06-13T09:53:23.388-04:00The Same Subject Continued (No. 56)

In Federalist 56, Madison continues the discussions of the last number by addressing the complaint that the House of Representatives "will be too small to possess a due knowledge of the interests of its constituents." The objection here, similar to the last number, is that with Congressmen representing so many people they will be unable to represent adequately all of the little groups within

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-70614037004180496132010-05-17T14:45:00.000-04:002010-05-17T14:53:50.996-04:00The Total Number of the House of Representatives (No. 55)

In Federalist 55, Madison addresses complaints that the House of Representatives is too small. The Constitution leaves the exact number up to Congress to decide, within limits, but states that the initial number will be sixty five. It also breaks down how many representatives each state will have, since the first census will not happen until three years after the First Congress meets. The

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-20422089479963671442010-04-22T15:23:00.008-04:002010-04-28T10:59:44.711-04:00The Apportionment of Members Among the States (No. 54)

Federalist 54 is not one that you will often hear modern politicians reference in their speeches. It deals primarily with two subjects that no longer occupy the heart of our political discourse: slavery and apportionment of direct taxes.Madison starts by mentioning that the House of Representatives is to be apportioned by population. Even in 1788, this was uncontroversial. Then he says that

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-52979976698563618652010-03-29T19:22:00.007-04:002010-04-28T10:59:55.678-04:00The Same Subject Continued (No. 53)

In Federalist 53, Madison brings us more consideration of the Constitutional provisions dealing with the House of Representatives. Specifically, he addresses the complaint by the anti-Federalists that "where annual elections end, tyranny begins."Strange as it may seem to us in the twenty-first century, back in 1788 the legislatures in most states were elected annually. Anti-federalists

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-89354283985064753632010-03-17T22:07:00.009-04:002010-04-28T11:00:04.364-04:00The House of Representatives (No. 52)

Moving away from more systemic objections, in Federalist 52 Madison gives a brief defense of the House of Representatives. To begin with, he defends the qualifications of the electors and the candidates for that house. The candidates, he writes, are required to be twenty-five years old, to have been United States citizens for seven years, and must live in the state from which they are to be

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-48296977707195380582010-03-06T10:35:00.000-05:002010-03-06T11:46:33.284-05:00The Structure of the Government Must Furnish the Proper Checks and Balances Between the Different Departments (No. 51)

In Federalist 51, Madison closes out the mini-series on the separation of powers. The previous three numbers have discussed the problems of one branch of government taking power from another; now, Madison explains how the Constitution solves the problem.He starts by imagining that the perfect government would have all three branches chosen directly by the people, so that none would be beholden

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-27951801751454245112010-02-28T10:56:00.006-05:002010-02-28T11:55:01.520-05:00Periodical Appeals to the People Considered (No. 50)

In Federalist 50, Madison continues the discussion started in the last issue: how to keep one branch of government from usurping the power of the others. He begins by drawing the distinction between calling periodic conventions to enforce the Constitution and calling periodic conventions to alter it. Enforcement, Madison says, would be better than alteration (for the reasons detailed in

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-78628022593964290972010-02-24T20:32:00.004-05:002010-02-24T21:33:23.174-05:00Method of Guarding Against the Encroachments of Any One Department of Government by Appealing to the People Through a Convention (No.49)

Madison continues his separation of powers theme in Federalist 49. He begins with a suggestion from Thomas Jefferson's Notes on the State of Virginia, in which Jefferson suggested a constitutional process to avoid encroachment by one branch on the powers of another. According to Jefferson, the best way to accomplish this was "that whenever any two of the three branches of government shall

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-61007504113086244112010-02-22T21:31:00.007-05:002010-02-28T11:55:40.786-05:00These Departments Should Not Be So Far Separated as to Have No Constitutional Control Over Each Other (No. 48)

In Federalist 48, Madison addresses the same criticism of the new Constitution as he addressed in No. 47, namely that the Constitution provided for inadequate separation of powers. As has by now become typical in the Federalist, he answers a criticism with more than one justification, hoping, one supposes, that if the incredulous reader was unconvinced by the first that he might be more

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-26490418202314917422010-02-22T16:36:00.002-05:002010-02-22T16:40:00.646-05:00I will blog again

Some e-mails and comments have reached my in-box about the future of these pages. My answer: I shall return. A post on Federalist 48 is in the works. Thanks to those of you who have encouraged my return -- stay tuned!

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-41666928709783407412008-10-17T10:06:00.005-04:002008-10-17T12:00:02.933-04:00The Particular Structure of the New Government and the Distribution of Power Among Its Different Parts (No. 47)

In Federalist 47, one of the more famous of the Federalist Papers, Madison examines the separation of powers under the Constitution. Anti-federalists had been objecting to the Constitution on the basis that the legislative, executive, and judicial branches were insufficiently separated.Madison agrees that separation of powers is essential for good government: "The accumulation of all powers,

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-71407371592432626422008-09-23T12:29:00.004-04:002008-09-23T12:59:31.322-04:00The Influence of the State and Federal Governments Compared (No. 46)

In Federalist 46, Madison continues to examine whether the states or the feds will be more powerful under the proposed Constitution. He begins with the point that "both of them as substantially dependent on the great body of the citizens of the United States." Ultimately, he writes, the question is kind of irrelevant -- the people are in charge, and whether they exercise their power

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-12618670754272946222008-09-17T09:59:00.002-04:002008-09-17T10:03:51.886-04:00Announcement

I know dozens of you are waiting for the next installment of the Federalist Papers. Well, I'll get to it. I promise! But first, a new blog announcement:I've begun blogging at a new site, The Closet Moderate. It's a collaborative effort, so you'll get a wider variety of issues and opinions than you do here. Plus, we post more frequently. What's it all about? Hard to say -- right now, we're

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-22158098134801758732008-08-15T10:48:00.003-04:002008-08-15T11:25:11.380-04:00The Alleged Danger From the Powers of the Union to the State Governments Considered (No. 45)

Hello! Bet you all thought I quit blogging, eh? I slacked off for a while because of vacation and because blogger.com was giving me some trouble, but now I'm back and I aim to see this thing through to completion. Huzzah!On with the show: Federalist 45 continues Madison's examination of the federal government's new powers, and the threat they allegedly pose to the states. Earlier, he

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-5592723231182955812008-06-03T10:32:00.005-04:002008-06-03T16:22:26.513-04:00Restrictions on the Authority of the Several States (No. 44)

Wow, that last post was a long one! I'll keep this one short:In Federalist 44, Mr. Madison examines the powers that the Constitution specifically denies to the states -- something sure to provoke the ire of anti-Federalists. There are several of these limitations:No State shall enter into any treaty, alliance, or confederation; grant letters of marque and reprisal; coin money; emit bills of

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-29165444852389329372008-05-30T15:07:00.010-04:002008-05-30T16:03:05.075-04:00The Same Subject Continued (No. 43)

Federalist 43 is kind of a catch-all: a discussion of all the powers delegated to the federal government that weren't in Madison's first three classes of powers. There's not much of a coherence among these powers, so I will discuss them one by one, as Madison did.Firstly, Madison notes that the federal government would have the power to regulate intellectual property; that is, copyright,

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-37211555682059975212008-05-07T10:43:00.004-04:002008-05-20T14:01:43.804-04:00The Powers Conferred by the Constitution Further Considered (No. 42)

Hello, faithful readers. Thanks for keeping up with this blog despite my long absences. School is out for good now, and while work keeps me busy, I hope to have more time to blog the Federalist papers in the future. For now, let's dive in to Federalist Paper number 42.According to Professor Lupu's 1998 article on the subject, Federalist 42 is cited in Supreme Court opinions more often than any

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-85109885866981015132008-04-17T16:44:00.003-04:002008-04-18T09:32:11.495-04:00General View of the Powers Conferred by The Constitution (No. 41)

Federalist 41 looks, from the title, to be kind of a catch-all, general examination by Madison of the Constitution and its perceived defects.Generally, he says, one of the problems the drafters considered was whether it was necessary to grant a given power to the federal government and, if so, whether that grant of power had too great a potential for abuse to be allowed. The first power he

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-48040228930220617942008-03-27T10:49:00.005-04:002008-04-17T16:20:04.246-04:00The Powers of the Convention to Form a Mixed Government Examined and Sustained (No. 40)

In Federalist No. 40, Madison examines whether the Constitutional Convention was authorized to make so thorough a revision of our government as they did. This is not an idle thought: as many historians have noted since, the Convention was assembled to remedy the defects of the Articles of Confederation, not to completely rewrite them.*You can tell what Madison thinks of this idea early in the

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-10452836346089402032008-02-27T11:58:00.003-05:002008-02-27T12:32:01.038-05:00The Conformity of the Plan to Republican Principles (No. 39)

In Federalist 39, Mr. Madison examines whether the new Constitution creates a republic. Anything else, he says, would not be "reconcilable with the genius of the people of America; with the fundamental principles of the Revolution; or with that honorable determination which animates every votary of freedom, to rest all our political experiments on the capacity of mankind for self-government."

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-12456941639314763522008-02-04T14:15:00.000-05:002008-02-04T17:28:30.408-05:00The Same Subject Continued, and the Incoherence of the Objections to the New Plan Exposed (No. 38)

The title of this latest Federalist Paper, while long, sounds like an exposé. Possibly, this is because it uses the word "exposed."As with many of the Federalist Papers, in this one Madison starts with a lengthy discussion of the politics of ancient Greece. To the modern ear, this sounds tedious and not a little elitist, but the ancient Greek and Roman republics were important to our Founding

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-40761049316423563582008-01-08T16:59:00.000-05:002008-01-08T17:53:00.335-05:00Concerning the Difficulties of the Convention in Devising a Proper Form of Government (No. 37)

Apparently, ol' Publius wrote a lot faster than I do. January 11, 1788 brings us Federalist 37, just two and a half months after the first was written. As for this blog, those same thirty-seven Federalist Papers have dribbled out over about fourteen months since I wrote the first one. Well, I've been writing a novel for three years, too. At least this thing's getting done.Back in 1788, Federalist

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-2163226140263970202008-01-02T14:39:00.000-05:002008-01-02T14:37:33.732-05:00The Same Subject Continued (No. 36)

Happy New Year! I'm back from my hiatus of article-writing, and now am ready to delight you once more, gentle readers, with the wonders of the Federalist Papers.Tax, glorious tax! In Federalist 36, Hamilton continues the discussion of his favorite topic: revenue. Actually, he begins by continuing the previous discussion on class representation in the legislature. This, I believe, originally came

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-73309661335241104772007-11-15T21:35:00.000-05:002007-11-16T15:27:59.228-05:00The Same Subject Continued (No. 35)

In Federalist number 35, Mr. Hamilton continues his dissertation on the federal taxing power. He was a finance guy, at heart, so I guess we shouldn't be surprised when he dwells so much upon the issue of taxation. Still, I understand that most of my readership are not tax attorneys or accountants. So, if you're still reading these blog posts, I thank you for your perseverance.That said, let's

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-49406856812251434362007-11-09T20:45:00.000-05:002007-11-09T15:45:37.558-05:00The Same Subject Continued (No. 34)

This latest essay from our pal Hamilton actually is the same subject continued, carrying on the discussion from Federalist papers number 31 and 32 about the federal taxing power. First, Hamilton briefly addresses some abstract concerns that a power to tax cannot be divided between the federal and state governments. Using some obscure historical analysis, he asserts that this is untrue.Next,

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-31098210713830880792007-11-01T21:28:00.000-04:002007-11-02T16:56:42.792-04:00The Same Subject Continued (No. 33)

Federalist number 33 brings us to another analysis of the federal power to tax. Yes, I know these are the ones you all skipped back in school, but seriously what affects you more in your daily life: the role of factions, or the amount Uncle Sam takes out of your paycheck? That's what I thought: so pay attention!*This essay actually is, despite it's title, not a continuation of the previous essay

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-47611810299032266132007-10-17T10:14:00.000-04:002007-10-17T12:32:21.646-04:00The Same Subject Continued (No. 32)

In Federalist Paper number 32, Hamilton continues his discussion of the taxing power of the federal government. I guess Madison and Jay have left all the financial stuff to Hamilton, which makes sense, I suppose, but seems a bit unfair, as well. At any rate, Hamilton addressed the concern that this new taxing power would eliminate the states' own ability to tax.Anti-federalists were apparently

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-77695966734265247382007-10-10T15:30:00.000-04:002007-11-02T09:10:30.283-04:00The Same Subject Continued (No. 31)

Hey, friends, sorry for the long absence. Much of my writing time lately has been spent on a law review article that is, like Federalist 31, about tax. But don't worry: I haven't abandoned the Federalist Papers or my dozens of readers. We're going to see this Constitution explained in full, if it takes me 'til I retire.Hamilton is the author again, and he starts this one off kind of strangely. He

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-6726859292055059682007-09-19T22:06:00.000-04:002007-09-20T12:51:48.230-04:00Concerning the General Power of Taxation (No. 30)

In Federalist Paper number 30, Hamilton turns to a topic that was as contentious in his day as it is in ours: taxation. I'll try to keep it brief; I can talk tax policy until the cows come home, but I know, gentle reader, that you have stuff to do.In order for a government to function, Hamilton writes, there must be "a general power of taxation, in one shape or another." Well, he has a point -

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-69227076891016699922007-08-26T10:49:00.000-04:002007-11-13T09:35:18.962-05:00Concerning the Militia (No. 29)

Continuing the discourse on martial matters, in Federalist Paper number 29, Hamilton discusses what the new Constitution has to say about the militia. This essay was published on January 10, 1788 following an uncharacteristic two-week break by the collective authorship group known as Publius.* In this time, two more states, Georgia and Connecticut, have ratified the Constitution, giving it five

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-18699805750192889492007-08-13T09:42:00.000-04:002007-11-13T09:31:13.245-05:00The Same Subject Continued (No. 28)

In number twenty-eight of the Federalist Papers, Hamilton continues on the theme of the federal army, and the anti-Federalists' perception of it as a threat to liberty. This paper does not add much to the previous paper, but I think it shows the problem of former revolutionaries in 1787: how to reconcile their belief in the right to revolution with their desire for stable and efficient government

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-21784396164520246522007-07-23T10:41:00.000-04:002007-11-13T09:30:49.535-05:00The Same Subject Continued (No. 27)

On Christmas Day, 1787, the New York Packet presented its readership with number 27 of the Federalist Papers. That workaholic Hamilton doesn't even take a Yuletide break, it appears. Well, who can blame the man? His zeal for the reformation of the republic is unquenchable, even by Christmas cheer.In this epistle to his fellow New Yorkers, Hamilton attacks the anti-Federalist proposition that the

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-68932923683548973252007-05-29T15:53:00.000-04:002007-11-13T09:30:02.970-05:00The Idea of Restraining the Legislative Authority in Regard to the Common Defense Considered (No. 26)

Federalist Paper number 26 brings us an extra-long title and an incomprehensible opening paragraph. Hamilton has been dense before, but this is just getting crazy. Judging from the title, Hamilton seems to be writing against the idea that the authority of the legislature to run an army should be limited.To this idea he is much opposed, writing that "I am much mistaken, if experience has not

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-53115458742242953882007-05-23T17:37:00.001-04:002007-11-13T09:29:26.164-05:00The Same Subject Continued (No. 25)

This federalism train just keeps rolling along! Hmm, trains weren't invented yet in 1787. Ok let's say this federalism oxcart just keeps rolling along. Cool. By now it's December 21, 1787, and three states have ratified the Constitution, with more sure to follow. But there's still plenty of haters out there, and Hamilton never tires of refuting them.In the 25th Federalist Paper, our author turns

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-14497726679574001452007-05-08T10:47:00.000-04:002007-11-13T09:29:05.615-05:00The Powers Necessary to the Common Defense Further Considered (No. 24)

After that fantastic trip to No. 23, nearly anything would be a let-down. But we must continue our voyage through the Federalist Papers and examine Mr. Hamilton's offering of December 19, 1787: Federalist No. 24. After telling us last time that the new government needs strong military powers, Hamilton considers one of the main objections: "that proper provision has not been made against the

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-88887532523700366082007-04-13T10:04:00.000-04:002007-04-20T17:17:57.706-04:00The Necessity of a Government as Energetic as the One Proposed to the Preservation of the Union (No.23)

Federalist No. 23 is one of the more famous of the Federalist Papers, oft-cited in judicial opinions and college papers. It's a big topic to tackle, but first I'd like to put out a little self-congratulation in the form of this link to a Washington Post webchat in which David Plotz, author of Blogging the Bible, gives shout outs to various blogs inspired by his own, including this humble

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-27709830830752366362007-03-30T11:20:00.000-04:002007-03-30T17:06:49.191-04:00The Same Subject Continued (No. 22)

Federalist 22 is the final essay in a string of essays detailing the various flaws of the Articles of Confederation.The first beef Hamilton raises in this essay is the lack of federal control over commerce. He leads with the valid point that no country can make a commercial deal with the United States because the States can just override it with their own commercial laws. He then suggests that

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-28149393973431154482007-03-19T09:51:00.000-04:002007-03-24T16:02:40.712-04:00Other Defects of the Present Confederation (No. 21)

James Madison, having finished his detour into historical comparisons, now passes the pen of Publius back to Alexander Hamilton, who in his essay of December 12, 1787 explains to the reader the problems of the Articles of Confederation. December 12 was also the day Pennsylvania ratified the Constitution, giving it two of the nine ratifications it needed to come into force. Of course, Hamilton

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-4486239515435259142007-03-13T08:39:00.001-04:002007-03-13T14:52:37.413-04:00The Same Subject Continued (No. 20)

December 11, 1787 brings us another of Mr. Madison's essays on how the United States under the Articles of Confederation are like some other nation in history. This time, it's the Dutch Republic, or, to give it its more formal name, Republic of the Seven United Netherlands. These were seven Dutch provinces that, having won their independence from Spain in the Eighty Years War (yes, eighty) joined

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-54027594014296769292007-02-28T09:26:00.000-05:002007-03-08T10:27:45.477-05:00The Same Subject Continued (No. 19)

Ok, that last one was a little rough, but things should be looking up. This essay, Federalist No. 19, was published December 8, 1787, a day after the Delaware ratified the new Constitution. Finally, the authors are getting some positive feedback on their efforts. I'm not sure the news would have reached New York in a day's time, but it should get there fairly quickly. Perhaps we can leave the

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-7159909366806018872007-02-16T10:44:00.000-05:002007-02-17T14:07:32.870-05:00The Same Subject Continued (No. 18)

All right, maybe I was a little hard on Hammie last time. Let's see if this essay, published on December 7, 1787, is any better. For starters, Federalist 18 is written by Madison, who has given us quite a few good ones. Maybe we're in for a treat, after all.Madison's essay concerns a comparison between the Articles of Confederation government and that of the Amphictyonic League, which Wikipedia

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-30079227606361613862007-02-09T11:19:00.000-05:002007-02-12T09:02:49.512-05:00The Same Subject Continued (No. 17)

Are you as disappointed as I am when you see a post with this title? Federalist No. 17 is another Hamilton quickie, coming just a day after the last one. Doesn't he have a job? Anyhow, on to the task at hand.Hamilton addresses complaints that the new Constitution would make the federal government too powerful: "It may be said that [the Constitution] would tend to render the government of the

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-71588407589475516132007-01-29T11:36:00.000-05:002007-01-29T12:37:43.147-05:00The Same Subject Continued (No. 16)

Ah, the same subject continued. That alluring teaser brings us back once again to the Federalist and Alexander Hamilton. This essay continues to discuss the inadequacy of the Articles of Confederation. I found the introduction confusing, but the gist of it seemed to be a rehashing of earlier essays, specifically to say that if the states don't approve the Constitution, there will inevitably be

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-35980536816197161462007-01-07T08:55:00.000-05:002007-01-11T11:16:59.952-05:00The Insufficiency of the Present Confederation to Preserve the Union (No. 15)

Welcome back to Blogging the Federalist. I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. But enough of that - let's jump right back in to Mr. Hamilton's latest offering from December 1, 1787, Federalist No. 15.I think Hamilton realized that his essays had been getting a bit dry. After Madison's rousing exhortation to adopt the Constitution in the last essay, Hamilton seems to have been

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-71094794757036737962006-12-23T12:45:00.000-05:002006-12-22T12:53:35.779-05:00Objections to the Proposed Constitution From Extent of Territory Answered (No. 14)

After that brief installment of Hamilton, we are now treated in Federalist No. 14 to an essay by James Madison. Like his last essay, No. 14 is long, but good. This time, Madison addresses the argument by the Anti-Federalists that the United States is just too damn big to govern as one nation. Hamilton already addressed this in a general fashion, but now Madison drives home the argument, saying

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-65288149754720751712006-12-12T07:48:00.000-05:002006-12-12T12:57:11.287-05:00Advantage of the Union in Respect to Economy in Government (No. 13)

This latest edition of the Federalist, courtesy of Mr. Hamilton, was presented to the public on November 28, 1787 in the Independent Journal of New York City. That's just one day after the last one Hamilton wrote. This guy seems to have a ton of good ideas, and zero social life (which belies his later reputation as a ladies' man.) Still, it's a short essay, so maybe even Hamilton's energy was

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-70396783413750041042006-12-05T21:19:00.000-05:002006-12-05T21:23:21.783-05:00The Utility of the Union In Respect to Revenue (No. 12)

On November 27, 1787, the readers of the New York Packet were treated to the latest installment of the Federalist Papers. Publius (in this case, Hamilton) now changes topics from defense to revenue. The general theme is the same - commerce - but now instead of looking to safety, he examines the advantages of tax collection in a unified nation. This doesn't sound especially convincing at first. I

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-20404432552942153212006-12-01T20:06:00.000-05:002006-12-01T21:42:08.040-05:00The Utility of the Union in Respect to Commercial Relations and a Navy (No. 11)

I hope you all enjoyed Mr. Madison's lengthy post last time. Now, we return to the able words of Mr. Hamilton for No. 11 of the Federalist Papers, published November 24, 1787. In it, Hamilton continues on his earlier theme of the advantages to commerce when the states are firmly unified.I love the way Hamilton writes because it's so damn cocky. On this subject he writes that his opinion has "

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-76562285654510376862006-11-22T19:14:00.000-05:002006-11-22T14:21:48.514-05:00The Same Subject Continued (No. 10)

On November 22, 1787, the most famous of the Federalist articles was published, and with it we are finally introduced to the third member of the collective authorship, James Madison. Federalist Number 10 is the most famous of all the Federalist Papers. Many of the others have been ignored by all but history graduate students, but ol' Number 10 has been quoted and analyzed quite extensively by

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-78838898017082461742006-11-12T10:28:00.000-05:002006-11-13T15:18:58.581-05:00Union as a Safeguard Against Domestic Faction and Insurrection (No. 9)

Well, the titles certainly are getting longer. But before we talk about Hamilton's latest offering, a few housekeeping matters: I've changed the blog's settings so that anyone can comment - you no longer have to register an account. Also, I'll offer a suggestion for easier blog viewing. If you're like me, you often forget to look at things like this. I've got a few blogs I like to read, but I

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-1162563877931304602006-11-06T20:23:00.000-05:002006-11-13T10:26:30.684-05:00Consequences of Hostilities Between the States (No. 8)

Does it seem to you like Publius is spending way too much time on the specter of war between the states? I think it seems that way to us because this threat is so remote in our time. But little wars were common in the eighteenth century, and without our long almost-uninterrupted history of states being at peace, this problem must have seemed more imminent to early Federalists.I get the sense that

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-1162230691386121652006-10-31T19:49:00.000-05:002006-11-13T10:26:30.481-05:00The Same Subject Continued (No. 7)

In the last essay, Hamilton suggested that if the states were to become dis-united they would certainly come into conflict with each other before too long. In this essay, he fleshes out this proposition with some contemporary examples."Territorial disputes," he writes, "have at all times been found one of the most fertile sources of hostility among nations." In this, Hamilton is quite correct. In

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-1161955357285224042006-10-27T12:22:00.000-04:002006-11-13T10:26:30.344-05:00Dangers from Dissensions Between States (No. 6)

This edition of the Federalist, written on November 14, 1787, brings us back to the original author of the series, Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton, in his typically clear writing, lays out for us the aim of the next set of papers: "to delineate dangers of a different and, perhaps, still more alarming kind—those which will in all probability flow from dissensions between the States themselves, and

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-1161790686867713242006-10-25T11:36:00.000-04:002006-11-13T10:26:30.196-05:00The Same Subject Continued (No. 5)

On November 10, 1787, New Yorkers were greeted with the final part of John Jay's discussion on foreign affairs under the proposed Constitution. Jay starts off his discussion in strange fashion, to my mind.He begins with some selected quotation from Queen Anne's exhortation to the Scottish parliament in favor of the Treaty of Union in 1706. This is odd for two reasons. Firstly, Americans weren't

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-1161353558635773962006-10-20T10:09:00.000-04:002006-11-13T10:26:30.018-05:00The Same Subject Continued (No. 4)

Are the old-time titles starting to bore you? I'm kind of tired of "the same subject continued," but that's what ol' Publius called it, so I've copied it faithfully. But don't let that keep you from reading it: the essays are actually quite different.And now to the subject: John Jay's next epistle on the dangers of foreign force and influence. Having discussed in his last installment why foreign

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-1161189613457049962006-10-18T12:38:00.000-04:002006-11-13T10:26:29.827-05:00The Same Subject Continued (No. 3)

The next installment of the Federalist, printed on November 3, 1787, is another foreign policy essay from John Jay. Having previously addressed the theme of nationality, Jay now considers the problem of foreign intervention in America's affairs, specifically, whether a unified country "affords them the best security that can be devised against hostilities from abroad."Jay begins by stating that

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-1161018952154719972006-10-16T12:55:00.000-04:002006-11-13T10:26:29.720-05:00Dangers from Foreign Force and Influence (No. 2)

John Jay takes the initiative with the first substantive article, Federalist No. 2, published October 31, 1787. As Hamilton said earlier, the first articles would explain the deficiencies of the Articles of Confederation. Since most of us 21st century folks have long agreed that the Articles were pretty weak, a lot of this will seem like restating the obvious, but it helps to understand why the

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-1160928101061008762006-10-15T11:16:00.000-04:002007-04-20T12:53:30.718-04:00General Introduction (No. 1)

Federalist No. 1, written by Hamilton, is a general introduction to the Federalist Papers. There's not too much content, but it gives us a good opportunity to consider the circumstances that led Hamilton, Madison, and Jay to begin the series. The new proposed Constitution had been sent to the states for approval one month earlier, in September 1787. No state had yet approved it, but preparations

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36026296.post-1160847083842664402006-10-14T13:11:00.000-04:002006-11-13T10:26:29.504-05:00Publius

So, here's the idea. I've been thinking about first causes, the things that our government is based on, and how those ideas are holding up today. I've also been reading an interesting blog on Slate called Blogging the Bible, where David Plotz has been reading the Bible and writing a blog with a description of the chapters he's read, along with his own thoughts and questions about it. It's

Silent Calhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405932356477199454noreply@blogger.com5