FReeper Book Club: The Debate over the Constitution, Federalist #4

A Publius/Billthedrill Essay | 15 March 2010 | Publius & Billthedrill

[Jacquerie]

Jay was an experienced diplomat who saw the danger of remaining an association of thirteen petty states. The foreign policies of the European powers was one of containment of the little, suspicious, American nations.

Jay clearly explains that to remain a loose and weak association was to invite more war.

The first duty of government is protect its citizens, a task the Articles were incapable of.

[Bigun]

Actually, that was what Alexander Hamilton was pushing for in his 5 hour speech that opened the Convention. (Imagine five hours without a bathroom break!) Hamilton was pushing the idea as far as he could take it as a means of framing the issue, but no one really wanted to follow up on his suggestions. He had gone too far for most of the delegates.

That is true and even Hamilton admitted that the result was a federal confederacy! Didn't stop him from trying to undermine that result at every opportunity however.

[JDoutrider]

Marker

[TASMANIANRED]

Bump for later.