Primary Source: Federalist 52, February 8, 1788

Source: https://guides.loc.gov/federalist-papers/text-51-60

Objectives:

• I can explain why the House of Representatives is best positioned to represent the people.
• I can develop an argument using evidence from primary sources.

 Caption: The Federalist

Building Context: When the Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787, it needed to be approved by ratifying conventions in nine of the thirteen states to take effect. Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay wrote and published a series of essays in support of the Constitution known as The Federalist. These essays were published in New York newspapers as New York was a state whose ratification of the Constitution was critical due to its size and location.

In Federalist 52, Publius (either James Madison or Alexander Hamilton) addressed the topic of the House of Representatives. Publius claimed that the qualifications for a representative allow for a variety of people to serve in the role and that their election every two years is best suited to safeguard public liberty.

 

Text	Annotations
…A representative of the United States must be of the age of twenty-five years; must have been seven years a citizen of the United States; must, at the time of his election, be an inhabitant of the State he is to represent; and, during the time of his service, must be in no office under the United States. Under these reasonable limitations, the door of this part of the federal government is open to merit of every description, whether native or adoptive, whether young or old, and without regard to poverty or wealth, or to any particular profession of religious faith… As it is essential to liberty that the government in general should have a common interest with the people, so it is particularly essential that the branch of it under consideration should have an immediate dependence on, and an intimate sympathy with, the people. Frequent elections are unquestionably the only policy by which this dependence and sympathy can be effectually secured.	The constitutional qualifications for a person to be elected to the House allow for a variety of people to serve in the role.   It is essential to liberty that representatives come from the people and share their concerns.   Frequent elections for representatives is the best way to ensure that they truly represent the people.
… I conceive it to be a very substantial proof, that the liberties of the people can be in no danger from BIENNIAL (every 2 years) elections…It is a received and well-founded maxim (truth), that where no other circumstances affect the case, the greater the power is, the shorter ought to be its duration; and, conversely, the smaller the power, the more safely may its duration be protracted. …With less power, therefore, to abuse, the federal representatives can be less tempted on one side, and will be doubly watched on the other. PUBLIUS.	Having elections every two years will ensure that the people’s interests are best represented and that the representatives will not grow too powerful.   Representatives will also be watched by the other chamber of Congress and the other branches of government (checks and balances).

 

Comprehension and Analysis Questions:

• Summarize this excerpt in one sentence.
• According to Publius, how has the Constitution ensured the representatives will represent the will of the people they are elected to represent?
• How does the Constitution protect against representatives becoming too powerful?
• How does Publius argue that the representatives chosen to serve in the House will act in the interest of the people? Do you find his argument convincing? Why or why not?