ap p e ndix b
The Federalist No. 45
James Madison
January 26, 1788
To the People of the State of New York.
Having shown that no one of the powers transferred to the Federal Government is unnecessary or improper, the next question to be considered
is whether the whole mass of them will be dangerous to the portion of
authority left in the several States.
The adversaries to the plan of the Convention instead of considering
in the first place what degree of power was absolutely necessary for the
purposes of the Federal Government, have exhausted themselves in a
secondary enquiry into the possible consequences of the proposed degree
of power to the Governments of the particular States. But if the Union, as
has been shown, be essential to the security of the people of America
against foreign danger; if it be essential to their security against contentions and wars among the different States; if it be essential to guard them
against those violent and oppressive factions which embitter the blessings of liberty, and against those military establishments which must
gradually poison its very fountain; if, in a word the Union be essential to
the happiness of the people of America, is it not preposterous to urge as
an objection to a Government, without which the objects of the Union
cannot be attained, that such a Gove ɹ