Federalist Paper No. 16

The Federalist Papers: Federalist Paper No. 16 Alexander Hamilton By Joshua Trottier HIST 146 Professor Bramson TTH: 2:15-4:45 Joshua Trottier HIST 146 Professor Bramson TTH: 2:15-4:45 In previous papers I have given you clear reason to support the union for your own benefit. I’ve presented the dangers that would follow, should the union that binds the states together, break. Finding the correct information can be difficult and it is my goal to help you understand the current status our union is in, in the best manner that can be done.
I want to discuss the “insufficiency of the present Confederation to the preservation of the Union. ” It could be asked what reason there is for someone to ask such a question that many men, friends of the new constitution or not, agree upon. This raises the truth of our situation to be acknowledged in order to keep clear of nearing anarchy. The people no longer speculate the facts of our situation, they have been accepted by the masses. The reality is that there were some defects in the scheme of our federal government, which has already been addressed by current members of the Union.
Have we reached the final stage of our nation humiliation? There’s nothing that could make our country feel any less of it self than it does now from what we are experiencing. Do we owe debt? Have we valuable territories under foreign control? Can we repel this in our current situation? We have no army, no money, and no government. Our country is experiencing many difficulties currently and this is what we have been given by the people who would now discourage us from the proposed Constitution, who have pushed us to the edge of an abyss.

My men, let us stand up for our own security, our peace, our pride, and our reputation. Let us find the paths of prosperity. There’s nothing wrong with the idea of an alliance or treaty between independent nations so long as their purpose is precisely stated, regulating every detail of time, place, circumstance, and quantity; making sure to leave nothing that could be up for debate between those who will eventually be living with that alliance.
Contracts of this kind are apparent all throughout the globe, bringing with them times of peace or war, observation and non-observance, as the powers at head dictate. These treaties; however, if based on the idea of good faith for peace and justice, which goes against human nature, can be broken when the those who represent the people, act on impulses or immediate passion.
Abandoning all prior beliefs towards a confederate government would bring the States into frequent battle among their neighboring States; however, If we take action to avoid this situation and readdress the design of a national government, then we would be presented with the opportunity to include in our plan those characteristics that differentiate between a league and a government. The ability to create laws, within the states, belongs to the identified government. If however, these laws did not include sentences or penalties for being broken, then they would only serve as helpful tips or suggestions to the people.
The sentences should bring some form of punishment for not doing what had been advised. In a society where the government works internally, will mean that every infraction upon the laws should involve a state of war; this is not a government and no person would freely choose it. It is also important to point out that within every political association that is formed in order to unite a group(s) of people there will that there will be those who want to break free from the common.
This is nothing new though, it comes with the love of power. The enemy to power is almost always that power that is being inflicted upon. From this we have little reason to expect our representatives to act accordingly to what we have intrusted them with, for their actions are the result of human nature. What reason do we have to believe that they will in according; punctuality, a sense of fair play and good-humor, and to have an unbiased and open view of what the public is presenting them.
If the confederacy cannon be achieved without the intervention from a particular administration then there is very little chance that they will achieve at all. Those who hold power over the respective members will take it upon themselves to judge every measure presented before them. They will consider such things as, monetary gain and lose, or their own personal interests before the interest of those who they represent. This will be done in ignorance towards national circumstances or State reasons which in order to have correct judgement, is required.
How difficult would it be for sovereignties who participate with each other, from afar, during different times, and under different circumstances to participate with each other towards the same views and pursuits, to hold together if, for example, our popular assemblies are already so difficult to establish a compromise without any outside source of pressure upon the representatives. Until the States figure out a better replacement for the current government, then congress can do nothing to help keep forms of administration. This situation we are in now did not come by happenstance but by the acceptance of propositions by the Union.