Federalist View of Changing the Articles of Confederation

The way at which we are governed needs to be changed. A better form of government is necessary, one that can unite our states, weigh the competing interests with justice, and stabilize the nation’s finances. The Articles were formed as a week way of governing ourselves. Now it’s time for us to rid ourselves of this burden and come out strong. Under the Articles we have no central government, which enables us to prosper. For us to grow as one country we must be united. As of now we are but more than one government, each with our own laws, money, and taxes. The Articles are not a strong enough backbone to help us thrive into one nation, so we must come together as whole. Just one government is the wisest choice in our beginning.

One government can collect and avail itself of the talents and experience of the ablest men, in whatever part of the Union they may be found. It can move on uniform principles of policy. It can harmonize, assimilate, and protect the several parts and members, and extend the benefit of its foresight and precautions to each. In the formation of treaties, it will regard the interest of the whole, and the particular interests of the parts as connected with that of the whole. It can apply the resources and power of the whole to the defense of any particular part, and that more easily and expeditiously than State governments or separate confederacies can possibly do, for want of concert and unity of system. It can place the militia under one plan of discipline, and, by putting their officers in a proper line of subordination to the Chief Magistrate, will, as it were, consolidate them into one corps, and thereby render them more efficient than if divided into thirteen or into three or four distinct independent companies. If we entered battle what exactly would happen? How, and when, and in what proportion shall aids of men and money be afforded? Who shall command the