10/15/2009
HAMILTON
vs.
JEFFERSON
FEDERALISTS
The Origins of the Two Party Political System:
composed of
merchants, bankers,
manufacturers, with
some wealthy farmers
and southern planters
well-educated and
propertied
mostly in New
England and along
seaboard
the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans
Views on the
CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
DEMOCRATICREPUBLICANS
composed of artisans,
shopkeepers, frontier
settlers, backcountry
farmers and poor
farmers
often ill-educated and
illiterate
settled the interior
regions
Hamilton
Views on the future of the
AMERICAN ECONOMY
Hamilton
Stressed
manufacturing,
commerce, finance,
and overseas trade
Wanted tariffs and
business protections
Wanted a simple
agrarian economy.
Favored the “yeoman
farmer” …wanted the
government to
support the interests
of the “common man”
Jefferson
favored state’s rights.
believed democratic
principles were right
believed the “common
man” capable of selfgovt.
believed in lowering
voting qualifications
Views on British society and
government
Jefferson
favored a strong
central government
a large REPUBLIC
would control factions
considered “common
people” to be ignorant
and incapable of selfgovt.
believed the elite
should rule, high
voting qualifications
Jefferson
Hamilton
Admired both; liked
the orderliness of
the British
government and
financial systems.
Disliked both; thought
British society was
decadent, the
government corrupt
and anti-republican.
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10/15/2009
Views on Constitutional
interpretation: the Elastic Clause
Views on France’s Revolution
Hamilton
Abhorred the
violence and social
disruptions of the
French Revolution.
Jefferson
Admired France’s
republican revolution.
Hamilton
"We are not to expect to
be translated from
despotism to liberty in
a featherbed."
Hamilton
unnecessary, because
the Constitution had
built-in provisions
(separation of powers,
checks & balances,
enumerated powers,
and impeachment) to
prevent govt. abuse
Jefferson
YES! (part of the
social contract)
state constitutions had
them.. why change?
sep. of powers and
checks & bal’s were
insufficient protections
Jefferson
Favored a strict
interpretation of the
Constitution’s elastic
clause; Congress should
act only when “necessary”.
Believed in adhering
closely to the specifically
listed powers included in
the Constitution.
Views on the
NATIONAL BANK (the BUS):
Views on the Bill of Rights
Favored a loose
interpretation of the
Constitution’s elastic
clause about making all
“necessary and proper”
laws; Congress could act
whenever it was
“proper”. Believed in the
implied powers included
in the Constitution.
Jefferson
Hamilton
Wanted Congress to
charter one, sell
some if its stock to
individuals; this
would be good for
investors in the
bank.
A national bank is not
“necessary,” so it is
not authorized under
the Constitution; such
a bank would benefit
commercial classes,
not the farmers
Jefferson favored.
Views on paying the
NATIONAL DEBT from the war
Jefferson
Hamilton
Fund it at par via
new bonds; pay
security holders in
full; benefits well-todo security holders
and commercial
interests.
Initially, opposed;
ordinary citizens had
loaned the government
money wanted these
people at least partially
repaid. Accepted
Hamilton’s plan in
exchange for the move
of the Capitol.
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10/15/2009
Who said it?
Those who labor in the earth are the
chosen people of God, if ever he had a
chosen people, whose breasts he has
made his peculiar deposit for substantial
and genuine virtue.
Who said it?
Take mankind as they are, and
what are they governed by? Their
passions. One great error is that
we suppose mankind more honest
than they are.
Who said it?
I am not a friend to a very
energetic government. It is
always oppressive. It places the
governors indeed more at their
ease, at the expense of the
people.
Who said it?
All communities divide themselves
into the few and the many. The
first are the rich and well born; the
other, the mass of the people. Give
to the first class a distinct,
permanent share in the
government. They will check the
unsteadiness of the second; and as
they cannot receive any advantage
by a change, they therefore will
ever maintain good government.
Who said it?
Every government degenerates when
trusted to the rulers alone. The
people themselves are its only safe
depositories.
Who said it?
As to the state government,
the prevailing bias of my
judgment is that if they can
be circumscribed within
bounds consistent with the
preservation of the national
government, they will prove
useful and salutary.
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10/15/2009
Who said it?
Whenever the people
are well-informed,
they can be trusted
with their own
government. I am not
among those who fear
the people. They, and
not the rich, are our
dependence for
continued freedom.
Who said it?
The true theory of our
Constitution is surely the
wisest and best – that the
states are independent as
to everything within
themselves, and united as
to everything respecting
foreign nations. Let the
general government be
reduced to foreign concerns
only.
Who said it?
No man is more ardently
intent to see the public
debt soon and sacredly
paid off than I am. This
exactly marks the
difference between
[opponent’s] views and
mine, that I wish the
debt paid tomorrow; he
wishes it never to be
paid.
Who said it?
[There is] a disposition on
my part towards a liberal
construction of the powers
of the national government.
Who said it?
Were it left to me to
decide whether we
should have a
government without
newspapers, or
newspapers without a
government, I should not
hesitate a moment to
prefer the latter.
Who said it?
If all the public
creditors receive their
dues from one source
[Bank of the U.S.],
they will unit in
support of the fiscal
arrangements of the
government.
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10/15/2009
Who said it?
A little rebellion now
and then is a good
thing, and as
necessary in the
political world as
storms in the physical
world.
Who said it?
The General [Washington]
is a very honest man. His
competitors have slender
abilities, and less integrity.
His popularity has often
been essential to the safety
of America… These
considerations have
influenced my past conduct
respecting him and will
influence my future.
Who said it?
Who said it?
Real liberty is neither
found in despotism or
the extremes of
democracy, but in
moderate
governments.
Who said it?
[If an act] is not
clearly forbidden by
any particular
provision of the
Constitution, it may
safely be deemed to
come within the
compass of the
national authority.
Who said it?
I consider the foundation of the
The incorporation of a
Constitution as laid on this
ground – that all powers not
delegated to the United states
by the Constitution, nor
prohibited by it to the states,
are reserved to the states, or to
the people [10th Amendment].
To take a single step beyond
the boundaries thus specifically
drawn is to take possession of a
boundless field of power.
bank, and the powers
assumed by this bill,
have not, in my
opinion, been
delegated to the
United States by the
Constitution.
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10/15/2009
Who said it?
A bank has a natural
relation to the power
of collecting taxes – to
that of regulating
trade – to that of
providing for the
common defense –
and that… brings the
case within the
provision of the clause
of the Constitution.
Who said it?
Does the proposed measure
abridge a pre-existing right
of any state or of any
individual? It if does not,
there is a strong
presumption in favor of its
constitutionality.
Who said it?
The Constitution allows
only the means which
are ‘necessary, not
those which are merely
‘convenient,’ for
effecting the
enumerated powers.
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