The Federalist No. 9

by Allison Jones

 

On 21 November 1787, Alexander Hamilton produced the ninth paper in the Federalist series from “Publius”.  In this letter he focuses on the benefits of a “confederate republic”.

“A Firm Union will be of the utmost moment to the peace and liberty of the States as a barrier against domestic faction and insurrection.”  In order to remain unified, Hamilton asserts the need for the states to be unified under a strong joint government. 

He points out that despots are the ones against representative government and civil liberties; people have grown in knowledge since ancient times when republics and democracy were first tried and we can do better now. While some think that people are not smart enough or otherwise incapable of governing themselves, Hamilton says that people not only can govern themselves, but they will do a better job of it than relying on some elite to make all their decisions.  Society does not have to fall into chaos because people are not ruled by one iron fist.

Hamilton is firm in the opinion that our constitution provides a better government than any previous attempt because it distributes power among different branches of government and has elected representatives so that the people are as involved as the elite while giving the federal government enough power to “suppress faction”.

Also, the constitution does not dissolve the states as entities.  “The proposed Constitution, so far from implying an abolition of the State Governments, makes them constituent parts of the national sovereignty by allowing them a direct representation in the Senate, and leaves in their possession certain exclusive and very important portions of sovereign power.”  

Senators were originally appointed by individual state legislatures and thus represented the interests of the State itself, not necessarily the populous of the State.  The 17^th Amendment changed that to a direct election of senators by the people.

The states are to be subordinate to the federal government, but the federal level of government is not to take over everything the state or local governments do.  Hamilton compares this to an example provided in Montesquieu’s work in which the central government appointed even the local officers and not just those at the federal level.

Hamilton wanted to reassure the readers that the confederate republic proposed in the constitution would be strong enough to do its job but still leave power in the states.  The constitution was careful to avoid producing a new monarchy with absolute power over the people.