Page:Federalist, Dawson edition, 1863.djvu/300





O the powers proposed to be conferred upon the Fœderal Government, in respect to the creation and direction of the National forces, I have met with but one specific objection; which, if I understand it right, is this,—that proper provision has not been made against the existence of standing armies in time of peace; an objection which, I shall now endeavor to show, rests on weak and unsubstantial foundations.

It has indeed been brought forward in the most vague and general form, supported only by bold assertions, without the appearance of argument; without even the sanction of theoretical opinions; in contradiction to the practice of other free nations, and to the general sense of America, as expressed in most of the existing Constitutions. The propriety of this remark will appear, the moment it is recollected that the objection under consideration turns upon a supposed necessity of restraining the authority of the Nation, in the article of military establishments; a principle unheard of, except in one or two of our State Constitutions, and rejected in all the rest.

A stranger to our politics, who was to read our newspapers at the present juncture, without having previously inspected the plan reported by the Convention, would be naturally led to one of two conclusions: either that it contained a positive injunction, that standing armies should be kept up in time of peace; or that it vested in the the whole power of levying troops,