Vigilance & Responsibility Alexander Hamilton’s strategic sobriety.

NRO ^ | January 13, 2006 | Mackubin Thomas Owens

[highball]

I happen to be a fan of Hamiltons.

Oh, don't get me wrong - I am as well. I admire the man more than my words can express.

But the fact remains that he was a greater proponent of a strong central federal government than I am comfortable with.

That in no way diminished my respect for him or his importance to America's history and her place in the world. Washington was a Federalist, too, although he liked to appear above the fray.

[Great Communicator]

I don't think you are giving the proper consideration to context. Hamilton was only infavor of as much Federal authority as was necessary to make the Union succeed, versus what existed at the time (which was nothing). Blaming him for the later growth of the Federal government is like blaming Jefferson for slavery.

[highball]

With all due respect, that's a terrible comparison. Slavery existed before Jefferson, while Hamilton was directly responsible for consolidating Federal power (through advocating replacing the weaker Articles of Confederation with a strong central government in the Constitution).

Again, that in no way diminishes my enthusiasm for the man. But I believe in acknowledging the roses and the thorns.

Hamilton was perhaps the most prescient Founding Father. He established the economic foundation of this great nation, and without him the country may well have fallen soon after its birth.

He was also much more comfortable with central Federal power than I am, and was at the center of the first sexual political scandal in the United States. He was an extremely complex man, and I celebrate that complexity.

[Great Communicator]

With all due respect, both "Federalism" and slavery existed before either Hamilton or Jefferson. The United States of America existed before neither man.

[highball]

True, but while Jefferson failed to eliminate slavery from the United States of America, Hamilton is among those most responsible for Federalizing the nation.

[Great Communicator]

Jefferson's understanding of slavery did more damage to this nation than the Federalism that Hamilton proposed. Hamilton wasn't trying to dissolve individual state sovereignty. He simply realized that without some concessions the Republic was doomed to failure.

[highball]

I don't think that Hamilton's Federalism can be chalked up to a concession. He made concessions to advance his Federalism.

Hamilton believed that the Federal Government could guarantee liberties better than the states. That's why he championed throwing away the Articles of Confederation (he was one of the first to suggest doing so), with its weak federal government, and passing the Constitution.

[Great Communicator]

I understand the point you are making, but to some extent Federalism may be required where individual states liberties are impractical. 100% rejection of Federalism starts sounding dangerously like libertarianism (that would be Jefferson's department).