American founding and its legacies

American Founding and Its Legacies

The objective of this study is to compare and contrast the Federalists' and the Anti-Federalists' of the relationship between diversity and republican free government. This study will answer the question of whether diverse people live together under a republican form of government and to answer why they can or why they cannot. The delegates to the Convention in Philadelphia presented their work to the American public for ratification in September of 1787. The Constitution they proposed is reported to be such that "marked a clear departure from the Articles of Confederation." (p.1) the new type of government proposed would unite the 13 sovereign states that were for the most part independent "under a national government that derived its authority -- at least in part -- directly from the people rather than from the state legislatures. The Constitution proposed is reported to have resulted in one of the largest of all political debates in history. Those who supported the Constitution were known as the federalists while those opposed were known as the anti-federalists. Anti-federalists believed that the new Constitution would result in an eventual dissolution of the governments of the states and would effectively consolidate the Union into "one great republic" (Polytechnic. Org, 2013, p.1) the Anti-Federalists feared the consolidation of the government at the national level would effectively render the states powerless and remove the state's self-governing power. The Federalists however, favored the new national government created by the new Constitution and the powers that were provided to the federal government to form an army and to collect taxes. The fear of the Anti-Federalists was that the government would become too big and evasive in the lives of American citizens and that the power of the federal government would override the power vested in U.S. states in self-governing by and for the people.

The Federalists favored limitation of state power holding that Senate with two representatives per state was adequate representation for the interests of states. The Federalists held that the 'Bill of Rights' was unnecessary, not so the Anti-federalists who held the 'Bill of Rights' as critically important. Federalists were represented by the large farmers, artisans, and merchants while the Anti-federalist group was comprised of small farmers many times from rural areas. (the American Journey: A History of the United States by Goldfield, et al. cited in: http://faculty.polytechnic.org/gfeldmeth/chart.fed.pdf) James Madison stated that there are three classes "or descriptions of men in America at that time:

(1) the first class includes "all those men of fortune and reputation who stepped forward in the late revolution, from opposition to the administration, rather than the government of Great Britain. All those aristocrats whose pride disdains equal law. Many men of very large fortune, who entertain real or imaginary fears for the security of property. Those young men, who have sacrificed their time and their talents to public service, without any prospect of an adequate pecuniary or honorary reward. (Madison, cited in: Farmer No. 10 -- on the Preservation of Parties, Public Liberty Depends. Baltimore Advertiser, 18 Mar 1788)

(2) the second class was reported as comprised by "those descriptions of men who are certainly more numerous with us than in any other part of the globe. First, those men who are so wise as to discover that their ancestors and indeed all the rest of mankind were and are fools. We have a vast overproportion of these great men, who, when you tell them that from the earliest period at which mankind devoted their attention to social happiness, it has been their uniform judgment, that a government over governments cannot exist - that is two governments operating on the same individual - assume the smile of confidence, and tell you of two people travelling the same road - of a perfect and precise division of the duties of the individual." (No. 10 -- on the Preservation of Parties, Public Liberty Depends, 18 Mar 1788)

(3) it is stated that heading the third class are the "old rigid republications, who although few in number are still formidable. They are joined by the true democrats who are in general fanatics and enthusiasts and some few sensible charming madmen. But as this last class is forced to act as a residuary legatee, and receive all the trash and filth, it is in some measure disgraced and its influence weakened. In this [third] class may be counted men of the greatest mental powers and of as sublime virtue as any in America. They at present command nearly one-third of the property and above half the numbers of the United States, and in either event, they must continue to increase in influence by great desertions from both the other classes. . . . If the [proposed] government is not adopted, theirs will be the prevalent opinion." (No. 10 -- on the Preservation of Parties, Public Liberty Depends 18 Mar 1788)