Today we have Democrats and Republicans, but in 1787 we had Anti-Federalists or Federalists. According to the website (www.USConstitution.net), the Anti-Federalists eventually became what we know as the Democrats today and the Federalists became the Republican Party today.
Those who were against the building of a new constitution were Anti-Federalists. Some of these were Patrick Henry, George Mason, and Melanchthon Smith. This group all agreed that without specific amendments the constitution would give too much power to the Government.
The Anti-Federalists felt that this power would lead to such devastation as in (Centinel, 1787), “The new constitution was so deceptively represented by its advocates as a panacea or remedy for all grievances. On examination it will be found as Pandora’s Box, filled with all evil.” This article was not the only article that was published in the IndependentGazetter, and they were also called the Centinel. Many followed him, many preceded him.
One of the main concerns of the Anti-Federalists was the fear of representing the voters, that they might not know, know or believe the same beliefs as the representative of the presidency. They were afraid of being ruled by a stranger. They also had a question about this one all the time they were a magistrate, and like a king, as they began to use all the means by which they could remain in office.
The solution they came up with was that they wanted to stick to the confederation and give the power to protect themselves through state levels. Another problem of the Anti-Federalists was that the Senate had the control of the aristocracy and became too powerful. A bill of rights to be added to the constitution. The Federalists had decided to reject the additional bill of rights, asserting that such a power could never be claimed by the Government. The Federalists had leaders like Madison, Franklin and Washington that gave them great pressure on the people of the colonies.
This group was ready to answer all the anxious questions of the Anti-Federalists. The answers were generally about the power that the constitution would give to the Government. Power was to be divided into three branches, and each of these branches protected the rights of the people. No group should ever have power over another group.
Although the Federalists could not deny that the Bill of Rights was entirely ill-received, they feared that in enumerating rights, and protecting certain rights, it would in no way prevent the Government from violating unenumerated rights. They felt it was easier not to enumerate the rights at all.
The idea of a Bill of Rights began to take hold of the Federalists; Jefferson and Madison’s correspondence shows us that they felt that the Bill of Rights could place just legal conviction on the Judicial Branch.
The point is that the new constitution will give them the power to pay the army and give the Government the ability to borrow money from other countries at the right time. They did not have their soldiers in time and other things they needed to fight. This was taken by many of the Confederates of the new constitution to mean that they wanted to support the protection of outside Indians.
When I first started researching this article, I thought I was completely on the side of the Federalists, however, I am surprised and see many of the concerns that the Anti-Federalists had. At that time they didn’t have the technology, like we do now in presidential elections, that it was easier to be known in the state because the word had to travel a smaller distance.
The Anti-Federalist also had the right idea about the Government being too strong and powerful, because I don’t think he wanted the Government to be like a Monarchy or a King reigning, especially after going through the Revolutionary War. It was a matter of self-interest to base the state entirely against the government, which the colonies had fought so hard to escape. Not only does the idea of the Revolutionary War come to mind, but also The Magna Carta, which the English had. King in 1215, for him to recognize the laws and laws to remain.
After each party took their ideas and combined them and weaved together what are now known as the constitution, the bill of rights, the democratic party and the republican parties to create what we now know as The
