Link:
http://www.wepin.com/articles/afp/afp01.htmlPublished: From The Boston Gazette and Country Journal, November 26, 1787.
Author: "A FEDERALIST"
Reading this article quickly to glean the main points. Written before the confederation agreement (?) and the signing of the new US Constitution in September 1787. The anti-federalist papers seem to be slightly late, although the Constitution was not ratified until June 21st of the next year (1778).
The tone of the aticle is slightly feverish using CAPITALISED words seemingly for emphasis, but the first principle is a democratic one, that the people are the grand inquest who should decide on its merits. The argument is against the vested interests of the aristocraticks who would seek to enforce large government to gain powers.
The spirit is not anti-federalist at all costs, despite the name of the papers (indeed the author names itself "A Federalist"). Confederation would be a good thing if the benefits in security were not accompanied with a reduction in liberty - the thing the anti-federalist most feared. But there does not seem to be much of a cost benefit trade-off here. Any reduction in liberty is not to be tolerated.
The second belief is that the illuminating torch of intelligence should be allowed to pass over the document and assess it on its merits. The anti-federalist calls for an open, rational debate on the pros and cons of such a confereration. The major complaint is that its supporters have been far too zealous; proponents of the constitution tried to suppress opposition or denigrate those opposed.
The article ends as a call on the delegates of the convention to amend the document if necessary, and remember the old patriots of '75 to do right by the people, rather than the aristocratick vested interests of the lawyers and bankers.
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