Saving our Constitutional Republic – A Review of Federalist Paper #9

This is a BIGGIE!!

Federalist Paper #9 is a “Biggie” in that Alexander Hamilton departs from Madison and makes two points that are inconsistent with the kind of government that the Constitution created. Specifically,

• Hamilton disagrees with political philosopher, Montesquieu, who felt that a republic would function well only in a small country. Hamilton also disagreed with Madison who felt that a strong union would prevent regional rebellions. Hamilton felt that a strong central government could put down any such regional rebellion.
• Hamilton felt that a “republican monarch” should be elected by the people for life and that one of the legislative bodies, the “Senate,” would comprise the wealthy few.

Hamilton’s views were not adopted in the Constitutional draft – leaving him with bitter disappointment and the feeling that the proposed union would eventually fall.

Go to the GrAdeSaver Summary of Federalist #9