As our colleague Mr. James Madison has so adequately expressed, the entire goal of government is to look after the interests of its people; that is, in the case of the United States, to work its utmost to achieve liberty and prosperity for the American people. As the second part of his sentiment points out, this cannot be achieved without clear knowledge about how this goal can be attained. In this present year of Lord, 1788, after careful consideration of the arguments laid out by all fifty—five members of this present delegation, which represents the interests and desires of the American people, I contend that the passage of the Constitution of the United States is the best means by which the security, the prosperity, and the liberty of these United States of America may be both guaranteed and preserved.
While the Articles of Confederation have served this country in its infancy, the new Constitution of the United States overcomes the weaknesses of this original document, as described below. This recommended adoption of the new Constitution, however, does not come without a caveat; I also argue with the so—called “anti-Federalists” that the adoption of this new national document must be accompanied by what has been termed a Bill of Rights The combination of these two documents will ensure the greatness of the United States ofAmerica by both establishing a foundation of strength and the means by which the liberties of the American people may be protected My recommendation finds its strength on three fronts.
First, the new Constitution addresses the weaknesses of the original Articles of Confederation, which will be identified hereof. Second, the new Constitution provides for a national unity and security which will create a platform for the United States to grow great on the world stage. Finally, the inclusion of a Bill of Rights is a welcome concession to the anti—federalists, as it keeps in check the power of the federal government. The weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation have been made apparent in recent years of government action and debate, but are highlighted here First and foremost, the original Articles give each state only one vote in Congress, regardless of size or stature.
If the anti-Federalists are so concerned about the interests of the American people, this weakness alone justifies the creation of a new Constitution; those states with considerably more citizenry ought to be given a proportional voice in the federal government. The second weakness is that the Articles given very little power to Congress in terms of national income (known in less popular circles as ‘taxation’). This is a crucial element to any nation’s survival; if we, the United States, are truly to be united, we must begin upon that front with a standardized regulation of foreign exchange and commerce. The third and fourth weaknesses that the new Constitution addresses are also linked to this unity: under the current Articles, there is neither an executive branch nor a national court system to enforce and check those laws and acts passed by the federal Congress.
As stated above, the United States of America must truly begin to be united if we are to continue in our pursuit of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness, The Constitution provides for the creation of these entities, while also allowing Congress (which is under the power of individual states and, ostensibly, individual citizenry) to keep the powers of these two entities in check The creation of these entities will aid in the preservation of the Union, as our dear companion Madison has previously stated, The only party that truly suffers under this new establishment will be those that seek harm to these United States of America. The final weaknesses under the current Articles of Confederation concern the ability of the American people and their representatives to enact changes to the formation of our democracy in the future.
Under the current Articles, amendments to the formation of our government require a unanimous vote, and even the most paltry of laws requires a nine to thirteen majority for passage in the federal Congress. This amounts to what can only be termed the tyranny of the minority. A new Constitution will provide for more practicable rules of law, particularly where amendments are concerned. A two-thirds majority vote for amendments made to the Constitution is sufficient for both preserving the interests of the majority of the American people and keeping open the avenue for reform as these interests evolve. In the same way, a less stringent requirement for the passage of bills into laws will ensure that the United States government is able to keep order, without having its hands tied by a small minority or interest that is opposed to a particular law.
In short, this also will lend to the strength of the United States of America as it unifies its lawmakers in the national government. This proposed Constitution will also form a new establishment of a state that has not yet been seen in this country. As of now, each state acts in its own interest both domestically and within the domain of international affairs and foreign trade. By truly uniting these states under one, centralized monetary policy and taxation flow, the United States can truly become part of the international agenda This centralization also means a stronger position for security, with the creation of a military under the executive branch, with its responsibility being checked by the Congress (which represents states‘ interests).
The creation of an executive branch will not mean the institution of a monarch, as some naysayers have been quick to cry out, but rather a centralized figurehead for the order of the military, the delegation of foreign affairs, and a symbolic center of a country that has onlyjust reached its second decade. The limitations provided within the new Constitution (such as term limits, the ability for Congress to overrule a veto and confirm appointments, and to depose of the President altogether in some, quite extreme cases) ensures that the creation of this branch or department will be a great boon to the newly formed government, rather than a detriment.
Finally, the justification of the adoption of this new Constitution of the United States is cemented by the creation of a Bill of Rights, which will limit the government in even greater measure than it limits the people, While there has been some hesitation on the part of others in my party for the adoption of a document of this nature, with the consideration that it actually limits liberty rather than expands upon it, I do recognize the anti-Federalists’ contention that any document that stands as the foundation of our government ought to first consider the rights and liberties of our people In this regard, we must recognize the concerns of those concerned with the well being of the nation’s citizenry, and provide for the protection of individual rights and liberties, not only under this current government but for generations to come.