Here is the ringing first paragraph of Federalist 1, written by Alexander Hamilton, published on October 27, 1787, in the “New York Independent Journal” – the first of 85 essays (written by Alexander Hamilton mostly, but James Madison wrote Federalst 10 – maybe the most famous of all of them, and John Jay contributed 5). The purpose of this onslaught was to put the case for the Constitution before the public for its review. Here is the first paragraph of the first essay:
After a full experience of the insufficiency of the existing federal government, you are invited to deliberate upon a new Constitution for the United States of America. The subject speaks its own importance, comprehending in its consequences nothing less than the existence of the UNION, the safety and welfare of the parts of which it is composed, the fate of an empire in many respects the most interesting in the world.
Yup.
That prose would have gotten MY attention – as I scanned the “For Sale” ads surrounding it.
