Selections from The Federalist

These essays on the Constitution were written by busy men in the midst of an active public and professional life, written with immense haste, and without proper time for consultation.... Yet even when they first appeared, the Federalist papers were recognized as the best explanation of and defense of the Constitution available, and they took their place, almost at once, as a classic. Jefferson-no Federalist himself-pronounced the volume, when it appeared, the best commentary on the principles of government which has ever been written."-From the Introduction by Editor, Henry S. Commager. Includes bibliography.

Editor’s Introduction vii 1. Introduction I 2. The Value of Union 4 9. The Union a Safeguard against Domestic Disturbances 7 10. The Union a Check on Faction 9 11. Commercial Advantages of Union 16 14. Objections to the Union on the Score of Extent of Territory 18 15. Defects of the Present Confederation Arising from Dependence on State Governments 21 21. Fundamental Defects of the Present Confederation 25 22. Specific Defects of the Present Confederation 30 23. Necessity of an Energetic Government 38 26. Grounds for Restraining Legislative Authority over Armies 42 27. Impossibility of a National Government without a National Force 43 31. Necessity for Unlimited Power of Taxation 47 32. Exclusive and Concurrent Taxing Powers in a Federal System 50 33. Taxation Considered with Respect to General Powers 52 34. Taxation with Respect to Military Necessity 56 35. Taxation in Relation to Class Interests 58 37. Difficulties of the Convention in Framing a Constitution 61 39. Conformity of the Constitution to Republican Principles 66 41. General View of Powers Conferred by the Constitution 71 44. Restrictions on the Powers of the States 75 45. The Alleged Danger of National Power to the States 82 51. The System of Checks and Balances in the Government 85 64. The Treaty Making Powers of the Senate 89 69. Comparison of the Powers of the President with those of Other Executives 93 71. The Term of Office of the President 97 72. Reëligibility of the President 100 73. The Veto Power of the President 105 75. The Treaty Making Power of the President 109 78. The Judiciary Department and Judicial Review 113 80. The Extent of Judicial Powers 120 81. The Distribution of Judicial Authority 126 82. The Relation of Federal and State Courts 131 84. The Propriety of a Bill of Rights 134 85. Summary and Conclusion 139 Bibliography 145