Controlling Elections - Federalist #59
After 22 consecutive Federalist Papers written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton returns for #59.
Hamilton picks up where Madison left off, with a topic concerning the election of Delegates to the House of Representatives.
Federalist #59
Alexander Hamilton
Federalist 22, 1788
In Federalist #59, Alexander Hamilton responds to criticism that the Federal Government controlled elections to the House of Representatives.
The Anti-Federalists believed that this would give the Government the ability to stall elections and present Representatives from being chosen.
Federalists believed this was a necessary compromise.
Shared Power
Hamilton insists in this Paper that the federal part of the new Government relied on the State and National Governments sharing power.
He points out that the States are responsible for the election of Senators, balancing out the means by which elections are established.
Furthermore, elections to the House were so infrequent, that attempts to prevent them would initiate trouble from the Senate who, again, were chosen by the States.
17th Amendment
Interestingly, Hamilton’s argument is no longer quite so appropriate.
The 17th Amendment was ratified in 1913 and changed control of the Senate from the State Governments to the State voters.
The decisions on elections, however, are still controlled by the States themselves.
I publish Federalist summaries every Friday.
If you’ve missed on, you can catch up here.
I’ve recently opened a shop that feature some of my favorite FOUNDERS QUOTES.
Check them out through the link below:
