historicaldocuments:anti-federalist:antifed48
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+ | ====== ANTI-FEDERALIST No. 48 ====== | ||
+ | ===== No Separation Of Departments Results In No Responsibility ===== | ||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | " | ||
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+ | In the new constitution for the future government of the thirteen United States of America, the President and Senate have all the executive and two thirds of the Legislative power. | ||
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+ | This is a material deviation from those principles of the English constitution, | ||
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+ | In this formidable combination of power, there is no responsibility. And where there is power without responsibility, | ||
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+ | The president of the United States is elected for four years, and each of the thirteen states has one vote at his election; which vote is not of the people, but of electors two degrees from the people. | ||
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+ | The senate is a body of six years duration; and as in the choice of presidents, the largest state has but one vote, so it is in the choice of senators. Now this shows, that responsibility is as little to be apprehended from amenability to constituents, | ||
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+ | From such an union in governments, | ||
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+ | The power given to this ill-constructed senate is, to judge of what may be for the general welfare; and such engagements, | ||
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+ | This is a power co-extensive with every possible object of human legislation. Yet there is no restraint, no charter of rights, no residuum of human privileges, not intended to be given up to society. The rights of conscience, the freedom of the press, and trial by jury, are at the mercy of this senate. Trial by jury has been already materially injured. The trial in criminal cases is not by twelve men of the vicinage, or of the county, but of the state; and the states are from fifty to seven hundred miles in extent! In criminal cases this new system says, the trial shall be by jury. On civil cases it is silent. There it is fair to infer, that as in criminal cases it has been materially impaired, in civil cases it may be altogether omitted. But it is in truth, strongly discountenanced in civil cases; for this new system gives the supreme court in matters of appeal, jurisdiction both of law and fact. | ||
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+ | This being the beginning of American freedom, it is very clear the ending will be slavery, for it cannot be denied that this constitution is, in its first principles, highly and dangerously oligarchical; | ||
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+ | LEONIDAS. | ||
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historicaldocuments/anti-federalist/antifed48.txt · Last modified: 2021/02/23 16:15 by 127.0.0.1