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Introduction by Benson John Lossing
The full text of the Federalist Papers are available online.<ref>http://www.foundingfathers.info/federalistpapers/</ref>
The full text of the Federalist Papers are available online.<ref>http://www.foundingfathers.info/federalistpapers/</ref>
==Background==
During the [[Constitutional Convention]], delegates cited the experience of the past to show, that of all national governments, a democratic one was the most unstable, fluctuating, and short-lived; and that despotism, arising from a centralization of power in the national government on one hand, and anarchy, incident to the instability of democracy - "the levelling spirit of democracy" denounced by [[Elbridge Gerry]] as "the worst of political evils" - on the other, were the Scylla and Charybdis between which the republic would, in the opinion of their opponents, be placed, with almost a certainty of being destroyed.
These views were ably combated in a series of political essays written by Hamilton and Madison, with a few numbers by John Jay, which were published in two New York newspapers: ''The Independent Journal'' and the ''New York Packet''. The object of these essays being, as stated by Hamilton in the first number, "A discussion of the utility of the Union; the insufficiency of the confederation to preserve that Union;" and "the necessity of a government at least equally energetic with the one proposed, to the attainment of this object." These essays; under the general title of ''The Federalist'', were written with uncommon ability, exerted a powerful influence, and present an admirable treatise on the philosophy of our federal constitution.
Long and stormy debates occurred in the state conventions; and it was not until the twenty-first of June, 1788, that New Hampshire, the ninth state in order, ratified the constitution. It then became the organic law of the republic. The Congress, when testimonials of ratification were received from a sufficient number of states, appointed the first Wednesday of January, 1789, for the people of the United States to choose electors of a president in accordance with the provisions of the constitution; the first Wednesday in February following for the electors to meet and make a choice; and the first Wednesday in March ensuing for the new government to meet for organization in the city of New York.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=FB7Jwoi-q9IC&pg=PA77 Washington and the American Republic], by [[Benson John Lossing]]</ref>
==Influences==
==Influences==