To the People of the State of New York:

In 1787-1788, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison published 85 articles in newspapers

throughout New York State.

The papers, published under the pseudonym “Publius,” make the case for the federal Constitution that had been drafted in Philadelphia the preceding summer, and they serve as a defense of the ideas of our nation’s founding document. They also teach lessons about the power of persuasion; their classically-educated authors were steeped in the rhetorical styles of the great orators of history.

The best way to preserve and defend our hard-won freedoms is to understand the laws that preserve and protect those liberties. Today, most legislation is too long and cumbersome for the average citizen—or senator—to read. The Constitution in all its simplicity highlights the integrity and wisdom of our founding generation.

The Courier will begin publishing excerpts from the Federalist papers regularly. We encourage readers to make a habit of reading these papers and to offer their comments and insights.

Federalist No. 1, written by Hamilton, serves as an introduction to Publius’s campaign for the Constitution. Hamilton addresses what he sees as the deficiencies of the Articles of Confederation, the document that had previously united the former colonies.