Tuesday, December 8, 2020

Consider Federalist Paper No. 84...

Consider Federalist Paper No. 84, originally published during the summer of 1788 by The Independent Journal, New York Packet and The Daily Advertiser under the pseudonym Publius, otherwise known as Alexander Hamilton, hence the following excerpt…

"I go further, and affirm that bills of rights, in the sense and to the extent in which they are contended for, are not only unnecessary in the proposed Constitution, but would even be dangerous. They would contain various exceptions to powers not granted; and, on this very account, would afford a colorable pretext to claim more than were granted. For why declare that things shall not be done which there is no power to do? Why, for instance, should it be said that the liberty of the press shall not be restrained, when no power is given by which restrictions may be imposed? I will not contend that such a provision would confer a regulating power; but it is evident that it would furnish, to men disposed to usurp, a plausible pretense for claiming that power."

As included in No. 140 - Bill of Right / 1st Reprise, following No. 139 - Bill of Right as posted (pic), both taken from my forthcoming book; More Proems & Poems on the Peculiar Human ABILITY to REASON, Singular Human RIGHT to CONSENT & Other Neglected Matters.

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