Analysis Of Federalist No. 69 By Alexander Hamilton

487 Words2 Pages

In “Federalist No. 69”, Alexander Hamilton wrote to inform and persuade the public to agree to the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. Particularly, he focused on the executive leadership’s role in the new government. He described the number of years the President can serve for before he is eligible for reelection. The President’s conduct and actions regarding legal matters are described as not being above the law. Law-making checks are imposed on the President as the two houses carry a large say. A detailed explanation of his role as commander-in-chief is described, as well as his duty to appoint individuals for various parts of his cabinet and the government. He informed the reader of the duties the executive leader would possess while stressing the limited authority he or she would have in comparison to the king of Great Britain. As a result, this was a driving force towards the citizens agreeing to a change in government. (156 words) …show more content…

The president is neither treated like a king nor treated as though he is above the law. He is restricted to absolute decisions he can make on his own because specific checks refer him to either the Senate or House. Hamilton describes how the British King is able to rule because of hereditary qualifications. The President, on the other hand, is elected by a group of people and his time to serve is limited, unlike the King’s. A King gets the final say in determining if a law is passed or not; the executive leader, however, does not. If a veto is imposed, the bill gets tossed back into the houses. Many examples like these are made throughout, which makes Hamilton’s argument persuasive in regards to the audience of the day. (174