1051The Federalist No. 19, [8 December 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. THE examples of ancient confederacies, cited in my last paper, have not exhausted the source of experimental instruction on this subject. There are existing institutions, founded on a similar principle, which merit particular consideration. The first which presents itself is the Germanic Body. In the early ages of Christianity Germany was occupied by...
1052The Federalist No. 20, [11 December 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. THE United Netherlands are a confederacy of republics, or rather of aristocracies, of a very remarkable texture; yet confirming all the lessons derived from those which we have already reviewed. The Union is composed of seven co-equal and sovereign States, and each State or province is a composition of equal and independent cities. In all important cases...
1053The Federalist No. 21, [12 December 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. HAVING in the three last numbers taken a summary review of the principal circumstances and events, which have depicted the genius and fate of other confederate governments; I shall now proceed in the enumeration of the most important of those defects, which have hitherto disappointed our hopes from the system established among ourselves. To form a safe...
1054The Federalist No. 22, [14 December 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. IN addition to the defects already enumerated in the existing Fœderal system, there are others of not less importance, which concur in rendering it altogether unfit for the administration of the affairs of the Union. The want of a power to regulate commerce is by all parties allowed to be of the number. The utility of such a power has been anticipated...
1055The Federalist No. 23, [18 December 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. THE necessity of a Constitution, at least equally energetic with the one proposed, to the preservation of the Union, is the point, at the examination of which we are now arrived. This enquiry will naturally divide itself into three branches—the objects to be provided for by a Fœderal Government—the quantity of power necessary to the accomplishment of...
1056The Federalist No. 24, [19 December 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. TO the powers proposed to be conferred upon the Federal Government, in respect to the creation and direction of the national forces, I have met with but one specific objection, which, if I understand it rightly is this— that proper provision has not been made against the existence of standing armies in time of peace; an objection which I shall now...
1057The Federalist No. 25, [21 December 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. IT may perhaps be urged, that the objects enumerated in the preceding number ought to be provided for by the State Governments, under the direction of the Union. But this would be in reality an inversion of the primary principle of our political association; as it would in practice transfer the care of the common defence from the fœderal head to the...
1058The Federalist No. 26, [22 December 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. IT was a thing hardly to be expected, that in a popular revolution the minds of men should stop at that happy mean, which marks the salutary boundary between POWER and PRIVILEGE, and combines the energy of government with the security of private rights. A failure in this delicate and important point is the great source of the inconveniences we...
1059The Federalist No. 27, [25 December 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. IT has been urged in different shapes that a constitution of the kind proposed by the Convention, cannot operate without the aid of a military force to execute its laws. This however, like most other things that have been alledged on that side, rests on mere general assertion; unsupported by any precise or intelligible designation of the reasons upon...
1060The Federalist No. 28, [26 December 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. THAT there may happen cases, in which the national government may be necessitated to resort to force, cannot be denied. Our own experience has corroborated the lessons taught by the examples of other nations; that emergencies of this sort will sometimes arise in all societies, however constituted; that seditions and insurrections are unhappily maladies...
1061The Federalist No. 29, [9 January 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. THE power of regulating the militia and of commanding its services in times of insurrection and invasion are natural incidents to the duties of superintending the common defence, and of watching over the internal peace of the confederacy. It requires no skill in the science of war to discern that uniformity in the organization and discipline of the...
1062The Federalist No. 30, [28 December 1787] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. IT has been already observed, that the Fœderal Government ought to possess the power of providing for the support of the national forces; in which proposition was intended to be included the expence of raising troops, of building and equiping fleets, and all other expences in any wise connected with military arrangements and operations. But these are not...
1063The Federalist No. 31, [1 January 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. IN disquisitions of every kind there are certain primary truths or first principles upon which all subsequent reasonings must depend. These contain an internal evidence, which antecedent to all reflection or combination commands the assent of the mind. Where it produces not this effect, it must proceed either from some defect or disorder in the organs of...
1064The Federalist No. 32, [2 January 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. ALTHOUGH I am of opinion that there would be no real danger of the consequences, which seem to be apprehended to the State Governments, from a power in the Union to controul them in the levies of money; because I am persuaded that the sense of the people, the extreme hazard of provoking the resentments of the State Governments, and a conviction of the...
1065The Federalist No. 33, [2 January 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. The residue of the argument against the provisions in the constitution, in respect to taxation, is ingrafted upon the following clauses; the last clause of the eighth section of the first article of the plan under consideration, authorises the national legislature “to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper , for carrying into execution the...
1066The Federalist No. 34, [5 January 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. I FLATTER myself it has been clearly shewn in my last number, that the particular States, under the proposed Constitution, would have CO-EQUAL authority with the Union in the article of revenue, except as to duties on imports. As this leaves open to the States far the greatest part of the resources of the community, there can be no color for the...
1067The Federalist No. 35, [5 January 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. BEFORE we proceed to examine any other objections to an indefinite power of taxation in the Union, I shall make one general remark; which is, that if the jurisdiction of the national government in the article of revenue should be restricted to particular objects, it would naturally occasion an undue proportion of the public burthens to fall upon those...
1068The Federalist No. 36, [8 January 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. WE have seen that the result of the observations, to which the foregoing number has been principally devoted, is that from the natural operation of the different interests and views of the various classes of the community, whether the representation of the people be more or less numerous, it will consist almost entirely of proprietors of land, of...
1069Draft of an Act to Incorporate the Freeholders and Inhabitants of Marbletown, [January–February 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York, January–February, 1788. ] In 1788, Hamilton drafted an “Act to incorporate the Freeholders and Inhabitants of Marble-town.” ADf , Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress. The draft was presumably submitted to the New York legislature. If so, the legislature refused to act on it, for the town of Marbletown was incorporated by a general act of incorporation dated March 7, 1788 (see “An...
1070The Federalist No. 50, [5 February 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. IT may be contended perhaps, that instead of occasional appeals to the people, which are liable to the objections urged against them, periodical appeals are the proper and adequate means of preventing and correcting infractions of the Constitution . It will be attended to, that in the examination of these expedients, I confine myself to their aptitude...
1071The Federalist No. 51, [6 February 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. TO what expedient then shall we finally resort for maintaining in practice the necessary partition of power among the several departments, as laid down in the constitution? The only answer that can be given is, that as all these exterior provisions are found to be inadequate, the defect must be supplied, by so contriving the interior structure of the...
1072The Federalist No. 52, [8 February 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. FROM the more general enquiries pursued in the four last papers, I pass on to a more particular examination of the several parts of the government. I shall begin with the House of Representatives. The first view to be taken of this part of the government, relates to the qualifications of the electors and the elected. Those of the former are to be the...
1073From Alexander Hamilton to Philip Schuyler, [9 February 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
An application will be made to the Council of appointment by Mr. Nicholas Carmer of this city; an ancient and respectable inhabitant; for the appointment of an Inspector of Mahogany and other lumber for this City. I recommend him, on every account , to your patronage. The mail of this Evening I am informed brings the most favourable accounts from Massachusettes. I am inclined to consider the...
1074The Federalist No. 54, [12 February 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. THE next view which I shall take of the House of Representatives, relates to the apportionment of its members to the several States, which is to be determined by the same rule with that of direct taxes. It is not contended that the number of people in each State ought not to be the standard for regulating the proportion of those who are to represent the...
1075The Federalist No. 55, [13 February 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. THE number of which the House of Representatives is to consist, forms another, and a very interesting point of view under which this branch of the federal legislature may be contemplated. Scarce any article indeed in the whole constitution seems to be rendered more worthy of attention, by the weight of character and the apparent force of argument, with...
1076The Federalist No. 56, [16 February 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. THE second charge against the House of Representatives is, that it will be too small to possess a due knowledge of the interests of its constituents. As this objection evidently proceeds from a comparison of the proposed number of representatives, with the great extent of the United States, the number of their inhabitants, and the diversity of their...
1077The Federalist No. 57, [19 February 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. THE third charge against the House of Representatives is, that it will be taken from that class of citizens which will have least sympathy with the mass of the people, and be most likely to aim at an ambitious sacrifice of the many to the aggrandizement of the few. Of all the objections which have been framed against the Fœderal Constitution, this is...
1078The Federalist No. 58, [20 February 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. THE remaining charge against the House of Representatives which I am to examine, is grounded on a supposition that the number of members will not be augmented from time to time, as the progress of population may demand. It has been admitted that this objection, if well supported, would have great weight. The following observations will shew that like...
1079The Federalist No. 59, [22 February 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. THE natural order of the subject leads us to consider in this place, that provision of the Constitution which authorises the national Legislature to regulate in the last resort the election of its own members. It is in these words—“The times, places and manner of holding elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the...
1080The Federalist No. 60, [23 February 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. WE have seen that an incontroulable power over the elections for the federal government could not without hazard be committed to the state legislatures. Let us now see what would be the dangers on the other side; that is, from confiding the ultimate right of regulating its own elections to the union itself. It is not pretended, that this right would ever...
1081The Federalist No. 61, [26 February 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. THE more candid opposers of the provision respecting elections contained in the plan of the Convention, when pressed in argument, will sometimes concede the propriety of that provision; with this qualification however that it ought to have been accompanied with a declaration that all elections should be had in the counties where the electors resided....
1082The Federalist No. 62, [27 February 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. HAVING examined the constitution of the house of representatives, and answered such of the objections against it as seemed to merit notice, I enter next on the examination of the senate. The heads into which this member of the government may be considered, are—I. the qualifications of senators—II. the appointment of them by the state legislatures—III....
1083The Federalist No. 63, [1 March 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. A FIFTH desideratum illustrating the utility of a senate, is the want of a due sense of national character. Without a select and stable member of the government, the esteem of foreign powers will not only be forfeited by an unenlightened and variable policy, proceeding from the causes already mentioned; but the national councils will not possess that...
1084The Federalist No. 65, [7 March 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. THE remaining powers, which the plan of the Convention allots to the Senate, in a distinct capacity, are comprised in their participation with the Executive in the appointment to offices, and in their judicial character as a court for the trial of impeachments. As in the business of appointments the Executive will be the principal agent, the provisions...
1085The Federalist No. 66, [8 March 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. A review of the principal objections that have appeared against the proposed court for the trial of impeachments, will not improbably eradicate the remains of any unfavourable impressions, which may still exist, in regard to this matter. The first of these objections is, that the provision in question confounds legislative and judiciary authorities in...
1086The Federalist No. 67, [11 March 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. THE Constitution of the executive department of the proposed government claims next our attention. There is hardly any part of the system which could have been attended with greater difficulty in the arrangement of it than this; and there is perhaps none, which has been inveighed against with less candor, or criticised with less judgment. Here the...
1087The Federalist No. 68, [12 March 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. THE mode of appointment of the chief magistrate of the United States is almost the only part of the system, of any consequence, which has escaped without severe censure, or which has received the slightest mark of approbation from its opponents. The most plausible of these, who has appeared in print, has even deigned to admit, that the election of the...
1088Report of a Committee of the Trustees of Columbia College, 13 March 1788 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, March 13, 1788. On this date Hamilton and Morgan Lewis, members of a committee to whom was referred an “Application of Messrs. Van Zandt and Kettlelas,” reported that the two men had offered to pay in 1776 the full amount of principal and interest due on their bond to the college in continental currency and that the treasurer of the college had refused the payment. D , signed by H...
1089The Federalist No. 70, [15 March 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. THERE is an idea, which is not without its advocates, that a vigorous executive is inconsistent with the genius of republican government. The enlightened well wishers to this species of government must at least hope that the supposition is destitute of foundation; since they can never admit its truth, without at the same time admitting the condemnation...
1090The Federalist No. 71, [18 March 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. DURATION in office has been mentioned as the second requisite to the energy of the executive authority. This has relation to two objects: To the personal firmness of the Executive Magistrate in the employment of his constitutional powers; and to the stability of the system of administration which may have been adopted under his auspices. With regard to...
1091The Federalist No. 72, [19 March 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. THE Administration of government, in its largest sense, comprehends all the operations of the body politic, whether legislative, executive or judiciary, but in its most usual and perhaps in its most precise signification, it is limited to executive details, and falls peculiarly within the province of the executive department. The actual conduct of...
1092The Federalist No. 73, [21 March 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. THE third ingredient towards constituting the vigor of the executive authority is an adequate provision for its support. It is evident that without proper attention to this article, the separation of the executive from the legislative department would be merely nominal and nugatory. The Legislature, with a discretionary power over the salary and...
1093From Alexander Hamilton to Jeremiah Wadsworth, [23 March 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
I have reflected on the subject of our conversation respecting the property belonging to Mr. Church and yourself now in the City of Philadelphia and agree in opinion with you that it will be altogether adviseable to remove it from that place to this City or Connecticut or both, so as to have it more immediately under your eye. I would therefore by all means advise the step. I remain Yr....
1094The Federalist No. 74, [25 March 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. THE President of the United States is to be “Commander in Chief of the army and navy of the United States, and of the militia of the several States when called into the actual service of the United States.” The propriety of this provision is so evident in itself; and it is at the same time so consonant to the precedents of the State constitutions in...
1095The Federalist No. 75, [26 March 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. THE president is to have power “by and with the advice and consent of the senate, to make treaties, provided two-thirds of the senators present concur.” Though this provision has been assailed on different grounds, with no small degree of vehemence, I scruple not to declare my firm persuasion, that it is one of the best digested and most unexceptionable...
1096The Federalist No. 76, [1 April 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. THE President is “to nominate and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate to appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the Supreme Court, and all other officers of the United States, whose appointments are not otherwise provided for in the Constitution. But the Congress may by law vest the appointment of such inferior...
1097The Federalist No. 77, [2 April 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
To the People of the State of New-York. IT has been mentioned as one of the advantages to be expected from the co-operation of the senate, in the business of appointments, that it would contribute to the stability of the administration. The consent of that body would be necessary to displace as well as to appoint. A change of the chief magistrate therefore would not occasion so violent or so...
1098From Alexander Hamilton to James Madison, [3 April 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
I have been very delinquent My Dear Sir in not thanking you sooner for your letter from Philadelphia. The remarks you make on a certain subject are important and will be attended to. There is truly much embarrassment in the case. I think however the principles we have talked of, in respect to the legislative authorities, are not only just but will apply to the other departments. Nor will the...
1099Campaign Broadside, 12 April 1788 (Hamilton Papers)
From a sincere Attachment to yourselves, and a Regard to our mutual Interest, we are induced to apprize you of our Opinions on a Subject, which we view as of the most essential Consequence to both. YOUR Countrymen in New-York, in Union of Sentiment with the true Friends of America, have long lamented the want of a FIRM, NATIONAL GOVERNMENT; without which they consider Property as insecure, and...
1100From Alexander Hamilton to James Madison, [11 May 1788] (Hamilton Papers)
I believe I am in your debt a letter or two, which is owing to my occupations in relation to the elections &c. These are now over in this state, but the result is not known. All depends upon Albany where both sides claim the victory. Our doubts will not be removed till the latter end of the month. I hope your expectations of Virginia have not diminished. Respecting the first volume of Publius...