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press nowhere enjoys greater liberty than in that country. And if duties of any kind may be laid without a violation of that liberty, it is evident that the extent must depend on legislative discretion, regulated by public opinion; so that, after all, general declarations respecting the liberty of the press will give it no greater security than it will have without them. The same invasions of it may be effected under the State constitutions which contain those declarations through the means of taxation, as under the proposed Constitution, which has nothing of the kind. It would be quite as significant to declare that government ought to be free, that taxes ought not to be excessive, etc., as that the liberty of the press ought not to be restrained.

*VideRutherforth’s Institutes, Vol. 2, book II, Chapter X, Sections XIV and XV. Vide also Grotius, Book II, Chapter IX, Sections VIII and IX.

* Entitled "An Address to the People of the State of New York."

* It may rather be said TEN, for though two thirds may set on foot the measure, three fourths must ratify.

* Hume’s Essays, Vol. I, page 128: "The Rise of Arts and Sciences."

* Madame de Maintenon.

† Duchess of Marlborough.

‡ Madame de Pompadour.

MESSAGE TO MANKIND

The authors and supporters of the Constitution of 1787 foresaw that a clear-cut vote against it in the state ratifying conventions would destroy the United States’ most important experiment in popular government. A particular point of concern was the growing state of New York, whose governor, George Clinton, was a formidable opponent of the proposed charter.

Alexander Hamilton, in an energetic effort to win over his home state, began a series of essays explaining and defending the Constitution. These were published in New York City newspapers under the pseudonym Publius. Hamilton was aided by contributions from two advocates of a new and energetic national government, James Madison and John Jay. The efforts of these three men resulted in The Federalist Papers—an authoritative analysis of the young nation’s Constitution and an enduring classic of political philosophy.

THE FEDERALIST PAPERS

Alexander Hamilton James Madison John Jay

EDITED BY CLINTON ROSSITER

WITH AN INTRODUCTION AND NOTES

BY CHARLES R. KESLER

A SIGNET CLASSIC

SIGNET CLASSIC

Published by New American Library, a division of

Penguin Putnam Inc., 375 Hudson Street,

New York, New York 10014, U.S.A.

Penguin Books Ltd, 80 Strand,

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Published by Signet Classic, an imprint of New American Library, a division of Penguin Putnam Inc. Previously published in a Mentor edition.

Copyright Penguin Putnam Inc., 1961

Introduction and notes copyright © Charles R. Kesler, 1999 All rights reserved

ISBN: 978-1-1012-1290-5

REGISTERED TRADEMARK—MARCA REGISTRADA

The Library of Congress has catalogued the Mentor edition of this title as follows: 99-13668.

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Contents

Introduction

A Note on This Edition

The Federalist Papers

Contents ofThe Federalist