The power of public support and perception is particularly deceptive. Just as politicians of today use the “honest lens” of television cameras to carry their calculated appeals to the masses, so did Publius use Colonial America’s equivalent: the newspaper. Ironically, this appeal for public consensus is led by a man remembered for his contempt for the mob mentality – Alexander Hamilton.
Why go to print?
ONE: Unification is it. Option B, C, D, etc. are not on the table. Personal opinion and losses are irrelevant. America is either the United States or nothing at all. This is not about a man trying to establish the uprightness his character, which surely had been sullied by the spin of his political rivals. Not for Hamilton, this is for and about us. “..the vigour of the government is essential to the security of liberty.” Having just come out of the American Revolution, Hamilton knew what he was up against: a belief that power equals tyranny. He thus proposes to defeat that potential once and for all by establishing a system where no single individual or group’s interest is trump.
TWO: Public support, down to the last individual, is essential. This is a public appeal, not a public address. The matter of unification remains wide open, and is susceptible to the whims of the uninformed. During the Colonial period, there was no better way to reach the masses than through print. Of course, this means reaching Caucasian males. Surprisingly this is not limited to the landed elite, as research demonstrates the literacy rate in New England to be near 90% at the time. Regardless of what Congress decides, it is up to the people to live it. And if the resulting lifestyle fails to secure ongoing public investment, the laws loose their weight and value. From another direction, Hamilton knew what motivated “politicos” to action — public favor. If he can sway public opinion to uphold unification, then he garners the flipped support of his detractors.
THREE: Legacy. This is where it does get personal for Hamilton. The establishment of the American Democratic government would make history. Such a monument would be paramount to the original tenets of democracy established by the Roman empire. “My motives must remain in the depository of my own breast…” Being on the verge of unparalleled greatness fueled Hamilton’s fervency. The power of this “experiment” enables Hamilton to sincerely assert: “this is the safest course for your liberty, your dignity, and your happiness.” If Hamilton is securing his legacy, putting the details into print is an expected course of action. Yet, here he is not only writing it on paper, but in the hearts and minds of the people.
~ PUBLICOLA
