Federalist39Madison(excerpts)

Ifweresortforacriteriontothedifferentprinciplesonwhichdifferentformsofgovernmentareestablished,wemaydefinearepublic
tobe,oratleastmaybestowthatnameon,agovernmentwhichderivesallitspowersdirectlyorindirectlyfromthegreatbodyof
thepeople,andisadministeredbypersonsholdingtheirofficesduringpleasure,foralimitedperiod,orduringgoodbehavior.It
isessentialtosuchagovernmentthatitbederivedfromthegreatbodyofthesociety,notfromaninconsiderableproportion,ora
favoredclassofit;otherwiseahandfuloftyrannicalnobles,exercisingtheiroppressionsbyadelegationoftheirpowers,might
aspiretotherankofrepublicans,andclaimfortheirgovernmentthehonorabletitleofrepublic.Itissufficientforsuchagovernment
thatthepersonsadministeringitbeappointed,eitherdirectlyorindirectly,bythepeople;andthattheyholdtheirappointmentsby
eitherofthetenuresjustspecified;otherwiseeverygovernmentintheUnitedStates,aswellaseveryotherpopulargovernmentthat
hasbeenorcanbewellorganizedorwellexecuted,wouldbedegradedfromtherepublicancharacter.Accordingtotheconstitution
ofeveryStateintheUnion,someorotheroftheofficersofgovernmentareappointedindirectlyonlybythepeople.Accordingto
mostofthem,thechiefmagistratehimselfissoappointed.Andaccordingtoone,thismodeofappointmentisextendedtooneof
thecoordinatebranchesofthelegislature.Accordingtoalltheconstitutions,also,thetenureofthehighestofficesisextendedtoa
definiteperiod,andinmanyinstances,bothwithinthelegislativeandexecutivedepartments,toaperiodofyears.Accordingtothe
provisionsofmostoftheconstitutions,again,aswellasaccordingtothemostrespectableandreceivedopinionsonthesubject,the
membersofthejudiciarydepartmentaretoretaintheirofficesbythefirmtenureofgoodbehavior.
OncomparingtheConstitutionplannedbytheconventionwiththestandardherefixed,weperceiveatoncethatitis,inthemost
rigidsense,conformabletoit
Couldanyfurtherproofberequiredoftherepublicancomplexionofthissystem,themostdecisiveonemightbefoundinitsabsolute
prohibitionoftitlesofnobility,bothunderthefederalandtheStategovernments;andinitsexpressguarantyoftherepublicanform
toeachofthelatter.
"Butitwasnotsufficient,"saytheadversariesoftheproposedConstitution,"fortheconventiontoadheretotherepublicanform.
Theyought,withequalcare,tohavepreservedthefederalform,whichregardstheUnionasaConfederacyofsovereignstates;
insteadofwhich,theyhaveframedanationalgovernment,whichregardstheUnionasaconsolidationoftheStates..."
thegovernmentappearstobeofamixedcharacter,presentingatleastasmanyfederalasnationalfeatures.
Thedifferencebetweenafederalandnationalgovernment,asitrelatestotheoperationofthegovernment,issupposedtoconsist
inthis,thatintheformerthepowersoperateonthepoliticalbodiescomposingtheConfederacy,intheirpoliticalcapacities;inthe
latter,ontheindividualcitizenscomposingthenation,intheirindividualcapacities.OntryingtheConstitutionbythiscriterion,itfalls
underthenational,notthefederalcharacter;thoughperhapsnotsocompletelyashasbeenunderstood.Inseveralcases,and
particularlyinthetrialofcontroversiestowhichStatesmaybeparties,theymustbeviewedandproceededagainstintheircollective
andpoliticalcapacitiesonly.Sofarthenationalcountenanceofthegovernmentonthissideseemstobedisfiguredbyafewfederal
features.Butthisblemishisperhapsunavoidableinanyplan;andtheoperationofthegovernmentonthepeople,intheirindividual
capacities,initsordinaryandmostessentialproceedings,may,onthewhole,designateit,inthisrelation,anationalgovernment.
Butifthegovernmentbenationalwithregardtotheoperationofitspowers,itchangesitsaspectagainwhenwecontemplateitin
relationtotheextentofitspowers.Theideaofanationalgovernmentinvolvesinit,notonlyanauthorityovertheindividualcitizens,
butanindefinitesupremacyoverallpersonsandthings,sofarastheyareobjectsoflawfulgovernment.Amongapeople
consolidatedintoonenation,thissupremacyiscompletelyvestedinthenationallegislature.Amongcommunitiesunitedfor
particularpurposes,itisvestedpartlyinthegeneralandpartlyinthemunicipallegislatures.Intheformercase,alllocalauthorities
aresubordinatetothesupreme;andmaybecontrolled,directed,orabolishedbyitatpleasure.Inthelatter,thelocalormunicipal
authoritiesformdistinctandindependentportionsofthesupremacy,nomoresubject,withintheirrespectivespheres,tothegeneral
authority,thanthegeneralauthorityissubjecttothem,withinitsownsphere.Inthisrelation,then,theproposedgovernmentcannot
bedeemedanationalone;sinceitsjurisdictionextendstocertainenumeratedobjectsonly,andleavestotheseveralStatesa
residuaryandinviolablesovereigntyoverallotherobjects.Itistruethatincontroversiesrelatingtotheboundarybetweenthetwo
jurisdictions,thetribunalwhichisultimatelytodecide,istobeestablishedunderthegeneralgovernment.Butthisdoesnotchange
theprincipleofthecase.Thedecisionistobeimpartiallymade,accordingtotherulesoftheConstitution;andalltheusualand
mosteffectualprecautionsaretakentosecurethisimpartiality.Somesuchtribunalisclearlyessentialtopreventanappealtothe
swordandadissolutionofthecompact;andthatitoughttobeestablishedunderthegeneralratherthanunderthelocal

governments,or,tospeakmoreproperly,thatitcouldbesafelyestablishedunderthefirstalone,isapositionnotlikelytobe
combated.
TheproposedConstitution,therefore,[evenwhentestedbytheruleslaiddownbyitsantagonists,][1]is,instrictness,neithera
nationalnorafederalConstitution,butacompositionofboth.Initsfoundationitisfederal,notnational;inthesourcesfromwhich
theordinarypowersofthegovernmentaredrawn,itispartlyfederalandpartlynational;intheoperationofthesepowers,itis
national,notfederal;intheextentofthem,again,itisfederal,notnational;and,finally,intheauthoritativemodeofintroducing
amendments,itisneitherwhollyfederalnorwhollynational.
PUBLIUS

How does Madison define a republic?

According to Madisons definition, did the constitution establish a republican form of

government? Explain.

Which of the following statements reflect Madisons views? Explain your choice?
A. The Constitution establishes a confederacy of sovereign states.
B. The Constitution provides for a consolidation (merger) of the states under
one supreme national government.
C. The Constitution creates a federal system in which the state governments
retain power to accept or reject laws of the federal government.
D. The Constitution establishes a union of states which includes both federal
and national features.

Taken in part from Lesson s on the Constitution by John J. Patrick and Richard C.
Remy