In Praise of Alexander Hamilton Part III

ArticleVBlog ^ | February 18th 2019 | Rodney Dodsworth

[Jacquerie]

Subtitle: The Federal Convention June 1st – June 6th.

“I do not see the danger of the states being devoured by the national government. On the contrary, I wish to keep them from devouring the national government” – James Wilson (PA)

In this and the next squib I’ll examine the Convention debates with an eye out for proposals and ideas that strike us today as less than supportive of republican, limited government. We’ll find, probably in Part V, that Alexander Hamilton’s June 18th sketch of another framework of government was not as radical in comparison as his modern detractors believe.

In their efforts to frame some sort of republic, we’ll notice surprising admiration for certain aspects of limited monarchies. The still respectable House of Lords was soon the model for an ideal Senate. Even James Madison’s notes, as sketchy as they were, portray lively exchanges in which delegates reconciled parochialism with dedication to avoiding the fate of past republics.

Imagine if all history knew of James Madison was his Virginia Plan of government. The man who had immersed himself in study of republics and had a decade or so of experience in Congress and Virginia government, proposed to neuter state sovereignty.

In it, and like the British Crown, Congress had veto authority over state laws. To further solidify national power and to correct a tax collection deficiency in the Articles of Confederation (Articles), the Virginia Plan expected the executive department to send troops if necessary to collect delinquent funds and enforce the laws of the United States. How this was to work in practice wasn’t clear, but one thing is certain; delegates to the Philadelphia convention were determined to design a government adequate in power and authority to achieve the just ends of government as proclaimed in the Articles.

[Oratam]

bkmk

[BroJoeK]

Madison, like Hamilton, was a strong Federalist in 1787.

That was enough to help ratify the Constitution in 1788, but soon after Madison had to join Jefferson’s anti-Federalists opposed to stronger central government.

One result was doctrines like Nullification and Interposition, but once in power as Presidents, both Jefferson and Madison reinforced Federal authority.