Malcolm Rivera
The Federalists and Anti-Federalists were two opposing political factions in the late 18th century, formed during the drafting of the U.S. Constitution. The Federalists supported the Constitution, while the Anti-Federalists opposed it, fearing that it would lead to a powerful central government that could threaten individual liberties and state sovereignty. The Constitution's army clause, which allowed Congress to raise and fund armies, sparked a nationwide debate between these two groups. The Federalists, including Alexander Hamilton, defended the army clause, arguing for a flexible interpretation, while the Anti-Federalists, led by Patrick Henry, warned that standing armies could be detrimental to liberty and advocated for a weaker central government.
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What You'll Learn
Federalists' defence of the army clause
The Federalists' defence of the army clause in the U.S. Constitution, which allowed Congress to raise and support armies with biennial funds, was a subject of intense debate during the ratification process. The Federalists, including notable figures like Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, offered several arguments in support of the clause.
Firstly, they argued that the new government required flexibility in the army clause. Hamilton, in particular, suggested that the belief that standing armies could result from the army clause was "problematical and uncertain". He proposed that standing armies were more likely to emerge from weaker states within confederacies seeking to compete with stronger ones, rather than a strong central government. This perspective acknowledged the potential dangers of standing armies but placed them in the context of civil conflict rather than everyday governance.
Madison, on the other hand, took a more conciliatory approach. He acknowledged the historic threat that standing armies posed to liberties and connected with Anti-Federalists by expressing his wish that vesting the power to raise armies in the general government was unnecessary. However, he argued that the general government would never destroy the individual governments and that the army clause was a means of balancing states' interests with national flexibility. Madison believed that the proposed system could secure both the union and accountability to the individual states.
Furthermore, Federalists defended the army clause by highlighting the importance of uniformity in the organisation and discipline of the militia. They argued that this uniformity could only be achieved by conferring the regulation of the militia to the national authority. By doing so, the militia would be able to discharge their duties with mutual intelligence and concert, making them more effective in public defence.
The Federalists also pointed out that the power to raise armies was lodged in the legislature, which consisted of representatives of the people who were periodically elected. This provided a check against the potential abuse of power and ensured that the army's existence was contingent upon evident necessity. Additionally, they argued that a well-regulated militia was the most natural defence of a free country and that empowering the federal government to command the militia in emergencies would reduce the need for a standing army. Finally, they proposed the formation of a select corps with specialised training to be utilised in case of need.
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Anti-Federalists' opposition to the army clause
The Anti-Federalists opposed the ratification of the 1787 U.S. Constitution, fearing that the new national government would be too powerful and threaten individual liberties. This group, which included small farmers, landowners, shopkeepers, and laborers, favored strong state governments, a weak central government, and the direct election of government officials. They also advocated for short term limits for officeholders, accountability by officeholders to popular majorities, and the strengthening of individual liberties.
The Anti-Federalists' opposition to the Constitution's army clause, also known as their anti-standing army sentiment, was a significant aspect of their overall disagreement with the Federalists. The army clause allowed the U.S. Congress to raise and support armies with biennial funds, which the Anti-Federalists believed would lead to a powerful national government at the expense of state governments and individual liberties. They argued that standing armies were detrimental to people's liberty and feared that a strong central government controlling the army would be dangerous.
The Anti-Federalists, including writers such as Brutus (likely Robert Yates) and Centinel (Samuel Bryan), brought these concerns to light through speeches and articles. They emphasized the potential danger of an overzealous government with control of an army, believing that standing armies were a threat to freedom and civil liberties. Their arguments were influenced by the writings of the French philosopher Baron de Montesquieu and the ideological origins of American anti-standing army sentiment, which dated back to colonial opposition to British policies after the French and Indian War and intensified after the Boston Massacre.
While the Federalists, led by Alexander Hamilton, sought to dismiss the traditional anti-standing army sentiment, the Anti-Federalists viewed standing armies as a threat to the federal balance of power. They believed that the army clause, by granting Congress the power to raise and maintain a peacetime military force, would enable the central government to become too powerful and potentially corrupt. The Anti-Federalists' opposition to the army clause was part of their broader concern for limiting government power and preserving the rights of the states and individuals.
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Anti-Federalists' fear of a powerful central government
The Anti-Federalists were a diverse group, composed of small farmers, landowners, shopkeepers, and laborers. They were a loose political coalition of popular politicians, such as Patrick Henry, who opposed the creation of a stronger U.S. federal government and the ratification of the 1787 Constitution. They believed that the Constitution, as drafted, would lead to a loss of individual liberties, an erosion of state sovereignty, and the potential for the rise of tyranny. They advocated for a more decentralized form of government with greater protections for individual rights and stronger representation for the states.
The Anti-Federalists' primary fear was that the national government under the Constitution would be too powerful and would threaten states' and individuals' rights. They believed that the federal government's powers to tax provided by the Constitution could be used to exploit citizens and weaken the power of the states. They also believed that a large central government would not serve the interests of small towns and rural areas, as opposed to the urban interests that most Federalist delegates aligned with.
The Anti-Federalists were also concerned about the potential for the position of president, then a novelty, to evolve into a monarchy, replicating the cast-off governance of Great Britain. They wanted to protect the independence of the states and ensure that the national government did not infringe on their authority. They favored strong state governments, a weak central government, the direct election of government officials, short term limits for officeholders, accountability by officeholders to popular majorities, and the strengthening of individual liberties.
The Anti-Federalists' arguments influenced the formation of the Bill of Rights, as the Federalists agreed to consider amendments to be added to the new Constitution to assuage their critics and ensure successful ratification. The debates between the Anti-Federalists and Federalists brought to light important issues regarding the balance of power between the federal and state governments and the protection of individual liberties.
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Federalists' dismissal of Anti-Federalist concerns
The Federalists' dismissal of Anti-Federalist concerns regarding the Constitution's army clause was influenced by their desire for a strong central government and secure military institutions. Alexander Hamilton, a prominent Federalist, disagreed with the Anti-Federalist presupposition that standing armies originate from a strong central government. Instead, he argued that they result from weaker states within confederacies seeking to compete with stronger ones. Hamilton's defense of the army clause was seen by some as dismissive of tradition and reminiscent of Caesar, but when examined from the broader scope of his plan for America, his nationalist rhetoric becomes more understandable.
Hamilton's stance on the army clause was influenced by his interpretation of the Articles of Confederation, which he believed restricted the ability of Congress to "engage in war" or determine the number of forces raised. He used this interpretation to discredit Anti-Federalist criticisms based on legislative precedent, ignoring the federalist tradition that shaped the Articles and influenced his opponents. Hamilton, along with James Madison, writing under the pseudonym Publius, embodied the split within the Federalists regarding the army clause. While some Federalists conformed to the anti-standing army norm, Hamilton chose to disregard it, prioritizing the flexibility of the new government over Anti-Federalist concerns about centralized power.
The Anti-Federalists, including writers like Brutus (likely Robert Yates) and Cato (possibly George Clinton), vehemently opposed the ratification of the Constitution due to their fear of excessive federal power and the potential threat to individual liberties. They believed that standing armies were detrimental to people's liberty and wanted to preserve a federal system that checked the centralized creation of a standing army. However, the Federalists, in their desire for a powerful constitution and government, saw the army clause as necessary for national defense and security.
The Federalist Papers, authored by Hamilton, John Jay, and Madison, defended the Constitution and proposed solutions to the perceived problems under the Articles of Confederation. The Anti-Federalists, on the other hand, mobilized against the Constitution in state legislatures, arguing for the inclusion of a Bill of Rights to protect civil liberties and limit federal power. The Bill of Rights eventually became a crucial part of the Constitution, accommodating Anti-Federalist concerns by reserving powers not granted to the federal government to the states and the people.
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Anti-Federalists' influence on the Bill of Rights
The Anti-Federalists' opposition to the 1787 U.S. Constitution was a significant factor in the creation of the Bill of Rights, which aimed to protect Americans' civil liberties. The Anti-Federalists, including small farmers, landowners, shopkeepers, and labourers, advocated for strong state governments and a weak central government, fearing that the new national government under the Constitution would be too powerful and threaten individual liberties. They believed that the Constitution gave too much power to the federal government and took away power from the states.
The Anti-Federalists' concerns centred around the belief that the "president" role, as the leader of the executive branch, could consolidate too much power, potentially leading to a pseudo-monarchy. They also worried that Congress might seize too many powers under certain clauses, such as the necessary and proper clause, which grants Congress the power to make all laws necessary and proper for carrying out its enumerated powers.
The Anti-Federalists' opposition to the Constitution led to vigorous debates during the state ratifying conventions. Notably, the Massachusetts delegation, which included Anti-Federalist delegates Samuel Adams and John Hancock, erupted into fistfights during their discussions. Eventually, a compromise was reached, and it was proposed that the Constitution be ratified with the condition that amendments could be added. This compromise led to the ratification of the Constitution by Massachusetts, Virginia, and New York, and by June 1788, nine states had ratified it.
The Anti-Federalists' influence on the Bill of Rights was significant. Their efforts ensured that the importance of freedom of speech and press was recognised, and they sought legal means of change once the document was ratified. James Madison, a strong supporter of the Constitution, also played a crucial role by introducing 12 amendments during the First Congress in 1789. The states ratified 10 of these amendments, which took effect in 1791 and collectively form the Bill of Rights. While many Anti-Federalists were disappointed with the final version, their advocacy and the subsequent amendments helped shape and protect Americans' civil liberties.
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Frequently asked questions
The Constitution's "Army Clause" allowed the US Congress to raise and support armies with biennial funds.
Yes, the Federalists supported the Army Clause. They argued that the new government required flexibility in the army clause.
No, the Anti-Federalists did not support the Army Clause. They believed that standing armies were detrimental to people's liberty and feared that a strong central government would threaten individual liberties.
The Anti-Federalists failed to prevent the adoption of the Constitution, but their efforts were not entirely in vain. The debates over the Army Clause influenced the formation of the Bill of Rights, which helped protect individual liberties.
