Elliot’s Debates (especially this edition), in spite of its
imperfections, is the great store house of American constitutional
history. It is almost impossible to exaggerate its importance,
and though Nos. 92 and 99 have rendered the portion relating to
Massachusetts and Pennsylvania of little value, the remaining
contents are only to be found in contemporary publications of greater
or lesser rarity.
In 1858 the plates passed into the hands of J. B. Lippincott & Co.,
who have printed several issues, with change of date only.
The Foederalist. No. I. To the People of the State of New
York....[signed] Publius.
32
This is the heading to the first of the series of eighty-five essays,
now known as the _The Federalist_, and was first published October
27, 1787. With occasional breaks in its regularity, it continued to
be published by at least two New York newspapers until August 16,
1788.
Nos. 1-7, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 26, 31, 33, 35, 37-8, 55, 65, 71,
and 76 first appeared in _The Independent Journal_. Nos. 8, 12, 16,
18, 20, 22, 27, 29, 30, 32, 56, 64, 70, 72 and 75 first appeared in
_The New York Packet_. Nos. 10 and 36 first appeared in _The Daily
Advertiser_. Nos. 9, 14, 23-5, and 34 appeared simultaneously in two
or more papers. Nos. 77-85 first appeared in the first edition in
book form. The first publication of the remaining essays I have not
been able to find.
Jay wrote Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 64; Madison, Nos. 10, 14, 37 to 48
inclusive; Nos. 18, 19 and 20 are the joint work of Madison and
Hamilton; Nos. 49 to 58, 62 and 63 are claimed by both Madison and
Hamilton; the rest of the numbers are by Hamilton. The authorship
of the 12 numbers claimed by both Madison and Hamilton are fully
discussed by Mr. Lodge in _The Proceedings of the American
Antiquarian Society for 1882_, and Volume ix of _The Works of
Hamilton_; by Mr. Dawson and Mr. J. C. Hamilton in the introductions
to their respective editions of _The Federalist_; by Mr. Rives in his
_History of the Life and Times of James Madison_; by Mr. Bancroft, in
the _History of the Formation of the Constitution_, ii, 236; and in
_The Historical Magazine_, viii, 305.
“He is certainly a judicious and ingenious writer, though not well
calculated for the common people.—_Maclaine to Iredell, March 4,
1788._
“In a series of essays in the New York Gazettes, under title of
_Federalist_, it [the Constitution] has been advocated with great
ability. _Washington to Luzerne_, Feb. 7, 1788.
“The Federalist, as he terms himself, or Publius, puts me in mind
of some of the gentlemen of the long robe when hard pressed, in a
bad cause, with a rich client. They frequently say a good deal,
which does not apply; but yet if it will not convince the judge
and jury, may perhaps, help to make them forget some part of the
evidence—embarass their opponents, and make the audience stare.” _N.
Y. Journal_, Feb. 14, 1788.
“It would be difficult to find a treatise, which, in so small a
compass, contains so much valuable political information, or in which
the true principles of republican government are unfolded with such
precision.” _American Magazine_ for March, 1788.
See also,
A / List of Editions / of / “The Federalist.” / By / Paul Leicester
Ford, / Brooklyn, N. Y., / 1886. 8vo, pp. 25.
_The Federalist. New York._ 1788.
The / Federalist: / A Collection / of / Essays, / written in Favour of
the / New Constitution, / as agreed upon by the Federal Convention,
/ September 17, 1787. / In Two Volumes. / Vol. I. / New York: /
Printed and Sold by J. and A. M’Lean, / No. 41, Hanover-Square. /
M,DCC,LXXXVIII.