The Impartial Examiner II - Competing Interests
In Impartial Examiner’s second essay, the Anti-Federalist author outlines several of the major points against ratification of the Constitution.
Impartial Examiner II
February 27,1788
In Impartial Examiner II, the anonymous Anti-Federalist author covers a wide swath of important arguments against the Constitution.
In addition to competing State interests, this article discusses excise taxes, standing armies and the Federal Judiciary.
Competing Interests
The Impartial Examiner begins this Paper by pointing out that one of the government’s main jobs is to maximize the ‘general good’, which is to say do what is right for the majority of the citizenry.
However, he argues, the individual States vary so greatly in what they need to succeed that one Federal Government of this nature could not possibly maximize the good it does.
Instead, he predicts, the different Representatives will argue strong on behalf of their own State and have the opposite effect...doing what is best for the smallest number of citizens.
Excise, Armies, Judges
The Examiner goes on to argue that the Federal Government’s ability to raise excise taxes will put citizens in a situation where they owe more money than they can pay and (due to a lack of trial by jury) they will be ruined or imprisoned.
He attacks the idea of a standing army, noting that an army is meant to fight and will promote that cause to the detriment of the nation.
Lastly, the Examiner spends time reviewing the powers of the Supreme Court, noting that the Judicial department’s regulations are to be set up by Congress instead of being specifically outlined in the Constitution itself, which he considered especially dangerous.
If you would like to read the original text of Impartial Examiner II, click here to get it for FREE.
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