The Federalist : on the new constitution / written in the year 1788, by Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Madison and Mr. Jay: with an appendix, containing the letters of Pacificus and Helvidius, on the Proclamation of neutrality of 1793; also, the original Articles of confederation, and the Constitution of the United States, with the amendments made thereto.

Date:
1826
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Federalist : on the new constitution / written in the year 1788, by Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Madison and Mr. Jay: with an appendix, containing the letters of Pacificus and Helvidius, on the Proclamation of neutrality of 1793; also, the original Articles of confederation, and the Constitution of the United States, with the amendments made thereto. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    like ours, will never be disposed to waste themselves in ruinous contentions with each other. They will be governed by mutual interest, and will cultivate a spirit of mutual amity and concord. We may ask these projectors in politics, whether it is not the true interest of all nations to cultivate the same benevolent and philosophic spirit ? If this be their true interest, have they in fact pursued it ? Has it not, on the contrary, invariably been found, that momentary passions, and immediate interests, have a more active and imperious control over human con- duct, than general or remote considerations of policy, utility, or justice ? Have republics in practice been less addicted to war than monarchies ? Are not the former administered by men as well as the latter ? Are there not aversions, predilec- tions, rivalships, and desires of unjust acquisition, that affect nations, as well as kings ? Are not popular assemblies fre- (juently subject to the impulses of rage, resentment, jealousy, avarice, and of other irregular and violent propensities ? Is it not well known, that their determinations are often governed by a few individuals in whom they place confidence,and that they are of course liable to be tinctured by the passions and views of those individuals ? Has commerce hitherto done any thing more than change the objects of war.'' Is not the love of wealth as domineering and enterprising a passion as that of power or glory ? Have there not been as many wars founded upon commercial motives, since that has become the prevailing system of nations, as were before occasioned by the cupidity of territory or dominion ? Has not the spirit of commerce, in many instances, administered new incentives to the appetite both for the one and for the other ? Let experience, the least fallible guide of human opinions, be appealed to for an answer to these inquiries. Sparta, Athens, Rome, and Carthage, were all republics; two of them, Athens and Carthage, of the commercial kind. Yet were they as often engaged in wars, offensive and defen- sive, as the neighbouring monarchies of the same times. Spar- ta was little better than a well-regulated camp ; and Rome was never sated of carnage and conquest. Carthage, though a commercial republic, was the aggressor in the very war that ended in her destruction. Hannibal had carried her arms into tlie heart of Italy, and even to the gates