How the Constitution Controls the US Army - Federalist #26
In Federalist #26 Alexander Hamilton discusses why the people need a Standing Army and how the Constitution makes abuse of a Standing Army impossible.
Federalist #26
December 22, 1787
Alexander Hamilton
Overview
In Federalist #26, Alexander Hamilton continues his discussion regarding Standing Armies in the United States.
As eluded to in Paper #25, Hamilton believed a Standing Army was necessary for the protection of the nation. To him, only a professional army could properly guard against well trained foreign soldiers.
Alexander dedicates this Federalist to the idea that the Constitution is the perfect balance between a reliable standing army and an overpowering militia.
Historical Fears
Hamilton acknowledges that American’s fears of a Standing Army have been held for a long time. He points out that these concerns arise from centuries of English Kings using armies to suppress their people.
It took Britons quite some time to wrest power from the Kings in an effort to share control of the military.
Still, as had been seen a decade earlier in the Revolutionary War, the people could not control an army that was too powerful. However, it was also seen that local militias were not enough to prevent foreign nations from sailing across the ocean and occupying major cities.
Constitutionally Impossible
Hamilton argues that just because a standing army could bring tyranny to the people does not mean the idea should be abandoned all together.
Instead, Alexander discusses the design of the Constitution. He specifically points to the Article which limits appropriations to the military to a term of two years. Since the army could only be funded for two years, he asserts, it would make the abuse of a large army nearly impossible.
According to Hamilton, these abuses are impossible because funding the army was placed under the duties of the Legislative Branch. Instead of an Executive who could wield the army as he liked, the Legislature controlled the purse and, therefore, the military.
The abuse of a Standing Army was doubly limited as, after these two years expired, one-third of the Senate and the entire House of Representatives would go through an election campaign. This process would give the people an opportunity to oust anyone they believed were misusing the army.
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