THE

FEDERALIST.

A COMMENTARY

ON THE

CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.

A Collection of Essays,

BY

ALEXANDER HAMILTON,

JAY AND MADISON.

ALSO

The Continentalist and Other Papers,

BY

HAMILTON.

EDITED BY

JOHN C. HAMILTON,

AUTHOR OF THE HISTORY OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE UNITED STATES.

PHILADELPHIA:

J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO.

Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1864, by

JOHN C. HAMILTON,

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District

of New York.

CONTENTS.

HISTORICAL NOTICE.....

Resolution for a General Convention of the States, passed by the

Legislature of New York, Sunday, July 21, 1782.

Hamilton to Governor Clinton, Philadelphia, May 14, 1783............

Resolution for a General Convention, 1783..........

Annapolis Convention, Address of, September 14, 1786

Speech on the Impost Grant.......................

PAGE

ix

1

3

4

8

11

.... 25

Resolution for an Act by Congress Recommending the Holding a

Convention, February 17, 1787........

Resolution for the Appointment by New York of Delegates to the

General Convention, February 26, 1787............

Articles of Confederation........

25

26

Hamilton's First Plan of Government........

31

The Federal Constitution, as agreed upon by the Convention, Sep-

tember 17, 1787.........

39

NUMBER

I. Introduction .......

49

II. Concerning Dangers from Foreign Force and Influence...... 54

VI. Concerning Dangers from War between the States...........

VII. The Subject continued, and Particular Causes Enumerated 83

VIII. The Effects of Internal War in Producing Standing Armies,

and other Institutions unfriendly to Liberty.................. 90

IX. The Utility of the Union as a Safeguard against Domestic

Faction and Insurrection......................

.... 97

X. The same Subject continued..........

.... 104

XI. The Utility of the Union in respect to Commerce and a

Navy.........

......... 113

NUMBER

XII. The Utility of the Union in respect to Revenue

PAGE

121

XIII. The same Subject continued, with a View to Economy.. 128

XIV. An Objection drawn from the Extent of Country

answered.............

XV. Concerning the Defects of the Present Confederation,

in Relation to the Principle of Legislation for the

States in their Collective Capacities........

131

..... 138

XVI. The same Subject continued, in Relation to the same

Principles

XVII. The Subject continued, and Illustrated by Examples, to

show the Tendency of Federal Governments, rather

to Anarchy among the Members, than Tyranny in

the Head.......

147

..... 153

XVIII. The Subject continued, with farther Examples............ 158

XIX. The Subject continued, with farther Examples............ 165

XX. The same Subject continued, with farther Examples..... 172

XXI. Further Defects of the Present Constitution...................................... 178

XXII. The same Subject continued and concluded................. 184

XXIII. The Necessity of a Government at least equally Ener-

getic with the one proposed................

195

XXIV. The Subject continued, with an Answer to an Objection

concerning Standing Armies.......

201

XXV. The Subject continued, with the same View............................................ 207

XXVI. The Subject continued, with the same View................ 213

XXVII. The Subject continued, with the same View............................................ 225

XXXV. The same Subject continued .......

XXXVI. The same Subject continued...........

XXXVII. Concerning the Difficulties which the Convention must

have experienced in the Formation of a Proper Plan.. 282

..... 263

273