Page:Essays in Historical Criticism.djvu/143



THE AUTHORSHIP OF THE FEDERALIST

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Number 51.

pendent on the society, the society itself will be broken into so many parts, interests and classes of citizens, that the rights of individuals, or of the minority, will be in little dan- ger from interested combina- tions of the majority " ^ (pp. 325-26).

"In a free government the security for civil rights must be the same as that for relig- ious rights. It consists in the one case in the multiplicity of interests, and in the other in the multiplicity of sects. The degree of security in both cases will depend on the number of interests and sects j and this may be presumed to depend on the extent of country and num- ber of people comprehended under the same government " ^ (p. 326).

Madison,

" The Society becomes broken into a greater variety of inter- ests and pursuits of passions which check each other." Writings^ I, 327, from Notes dh the Confederacy, April, 1787.

"The only remedy is, to enlarge the sphere, and thereby divide the community into so great a number of interests and parties, that in the first place a majority will not be likely at the same moment to have a common interest sepa- rate from the whole. " Debates, 119, June 6, 1787. " In a large society the people are broken into so many interests and par- ties that a common sentiment is less likely to be felt and the requisite concert less likely to be formed by a majority of the whole." Letter to Jefferson, Oct. 24, 1787, Writings, I, 352.

"The same security seems requisite for the civil as for the religious rights of individ- uals. If the same sect form a majority, and have the power, other sects will be sure to be depressed. Divide et impera is, under certain qualifications.

1 Madison uses the phrase " interested combinations of the majority," in Writ- ingSf IV, 23, 1829, and the phrase "interested majority*' in The Federalist, 59.

2 Cf. also Madison's remarks in the Virginia Convention. " But the United States abound in such a variety of sects that it is a strong security against re- ligious persecution." Elliot's Debates, II