Essay • 1788

Federalist No. 84

Alexander Hamilton (Publius)

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Hamilton's 1788 essay argued — wrongly, as Madison would soon concede — that a Bill of Rights was unnecessary and even dangerous, because the Constitution granted only enumerated powers. It is the clearest statement of the Federalist case against the first ten amendments.

I go further, and affirm that bills of rights, in the sense and to the extent in which they are contended for, are not only unnecessary in the proposed Constitution, but would even be dangerous. They would contain various exceptions to powers not granted; and, on this very account, would afford a colorable pretext to claim more than were granted.

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