Existing comment:
Jefferson's Copy of the Federalist Papers
The Federalist Papers were a series of eighty-five articles that James Madison (1751–1836), John Jay (1745–1829), and Alexander Hamilton published anonymously in order to build support in New York for the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. Despite the widespread adoption of declarations of rights for state constitutions, the members of the Constitutional Convention generally opposed adding a bill of rights to the federal Constitution. In Federalist No. 84, Hamilton argued against the inclusion of a bill of rights, stating: "Here, in strictness, the people surrender nothing; and as they retain everything they have no need of particular reservations." |