Federal Farmer
Federal Farmer Makes his Case for the Tenth Amendment
In one of his later essays, the Federal Farmer made a strong case for what eventually became the Tenth Amendment. A major contention among anti-federalists and other skeptics of the proposed Constitution revolved around the limits on federal power. In particular,...
Federal Farmer: Will the Judiciary Preserve or Destroy Liberty?
While many anti-federalists, including Patrick Henry, regarded the judicial branch of the federal government under the proposed U.S. Constitution with deep suspicion, the Federal Farmer took a more moderate, albeit guarded stance. In his fifteenth letter dated Jan....
Federal Farmer: Is There a “Right Person” for Office?
The Federal Farmer believed it was important to get the right people in office, yet he warned that a lack of more stringent requirements for officeholders would have negative consequences. The qualifications for office required by the Constitution are minimal. A...
Federal Farmer: Appointment Power Should Be Divided
In an earlier essay, the Federal Farmer argued that appointed officers would have too much power in the constitutional system and that there should be provisions made to reduce it. In his fourteen letter dated Jan. 17, 1788, he further expounded on his view that it...