The Anti-Federalist: Writings by the Opponents of the Constitution

by Herbert J. Storing (Editor), Murray Dry (Editor)

Herbert J. Storing's Complete Anti-Federalist, hailed as "a civic event of enduring importance" (Leonard W. Levy, New York Times Book Review), indisputably established the importance of the Anti-Federalists' writings for our understanding of the Constitution. As Storing wrote in his introduction, "If the foundation of the American polity was laid by the Federalists, the Anti-Federalist reservations echo through American history; and it is in the dialogue, not merely in the Federalist victory, that the country's principles are to be discovered."

This one-volume edition presents the essence of the other side of that crucial dialogue. It can be read as a genuine counterpart to the Federalist Papers; as an original source companion to Storing's brilliant essay What the Anti-Federalists Were For (volume I of The Complete Anti-Federalist, available as a separate paperback); or as a guide to exploring the full range of Anti-Federalist writing. The Anti-Federalist makes a fundamental source of our political heritage accessible to everyone.

Genres: History, Politics, Nonfiction, American History

382 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1981

Reviews

[Frank Stein · Rating 4 out of 5]

None of the Anti-Federalist writers attained the renown of their Federalist opponents. It was a problem they acknowledged from the beginning, namely, that almost all of the great names of nation were arrayed on the other side, especially George Washington and Benjamin Franklin. In their writings they constantly asked voters to look beyond reputation and the "splendour of names," and to the proposed Constitution itself. They claimed that some good men were tricked into signing it, and that others were prevented from coming to the original convention. But they knew they had to work against the gliterrati of their time.

Nonetheless, there are some sterling and some original examples of political philosophy here. John Winthrop, a son of a mathematics professor at Harvard, wrote in a commercial vein as "Agrippa." He argued that commercial freedom would eventually bring the states together on their own, but that the trading and manufacturing states like Massachusetts would suffer relative to agricultural states under the Constitution, especially because although the "impost" would benefit manufacturing, it would be offset by the increase in excise taxes. He also worried that the end of the New England states' control of their own naturalizations would lead to more foreigners and a more "dissolute" stock. John Francis Mercer, a non-signing member of the Convention, wrote as "A Farmer" in Maryland, and explained how democratic societies were more likely to invade rights than monarchies, because they didn't have clashing interests to protect them. Patrick Henry said in the Virginia ratifying convention that supposed separation of powers in the Constitution didn't rest on interest but on virtue, which was insufficient for freedom. Only truly independent powers and interests, based on the "self-love" of different classes, would keep freedom alive.

The Anti-Federalists had some consistent themes. They recognized the danger of the necessary and proper clause and the "supremacy clause" making federal law final and supreme; they were concerned about the expansive appellate power "over law and fact" in the federal courts (Brutus of New York noted that the Supreme Court was actually the highest of all branches, since it could interpret the Constitution), and were horrified at the lack of an explicit jury trial provision for civil cases; they thought that "We the People" instead of "We the States," and the "general welfare" clause in the preamble and Article I, made the Constitution a "Consolidated" government instead of a federation; they were appalled by allowing only 65 representatives in the House, and worried that a mere 23 men (half of both Senate and House at quorum) could make laws for everybody in a large nation; they thought giving the federal government power over internal taxation would eliminate any power of the states to tax as well; finally, they were scared of the absence of a Bill of Rights, which they later helped secure.

The Anti-Federalist brought up many sound points, and at times they were able to see through the minimalist language of the ratifiers and point to the truly revolutionary nature of the new government. Some of their suspicions have certainly been born out, for better and worse. Ultimately, whatever the individual contributions of these thinkers, one can't understand our founding without understanding what those opposed to it thought as well.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brutus makes some decent points regarding representation.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

These guys didn’t really understand the declaration well

[Bill Lawrence · Rating 3 out of 5]

Suggest an alternative if you think it's so bad!

[David Robins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is (I realized after I'd started reading) an abridged version of The Complete Anti-Federalist, but that's no bad thing: there's some repetition even still. This edition has great intros for the anti-federalist letters, which makes it easy to jump to paragraphs of interest. Many negative anti-federalist predictions came true: "dangerous and unlimited power in the area of taxation" ("it is a general maxim that all governments find a use for as much money as they can raise"), theft of property, borrowing of money and high deficits, use of the "necessary and proper" and "general welfare" clauses as licenses to steal, the Supreme Court is "subject to no control", raising of armies not for defense, distance: the Congress is far from us all, general problem of too much centralized power, they wanted to restrict granting of citizenship to foreigners, paper money (the Federal Reserve prints money unchecked), "unlimited supremacy of the federal government" ("in free governments, whatever is not stipulated is given up [as a power of government]").

[Purple Wimple · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are a must for the student of America. They are the things against which most of the Federalist Papers were written. The anti federalists were better prophets, even if nobody writing at the time correctly guessed the means by which their nightmares would come to pass.

Pay particular attention to the Federal Farmer, Melancton Smith, and to Brutus.