Essay Sample about Alexander Hamilton: Important Men in American History

Alexander Hamilton’s ideas were influential factors with the United States Constitution’s provisions for federal control of the militia. The militia was an organized group of citizens used for defense with limited military experience.  Hamilton stated in “The Federalist 29”, “The power of regulating the militia, and of commanding its services in times of insurrection and invasion are natural incidents to the duties of superintending the common defense, and of watching over the internal peace of the Confederacy.” Hamilton argued that it required no skill to discern the uniformity and discipline of the militia, whenever called into service. The federal power of  militia would enable Congress to discharge the duties of the field with an advantage of the nation’s military guidance. Hamilton stated that the uniformity and consistency of the militia could only be accomplished by giving the regulation of the militia to the national authority. Giving Congress sole power of the militia would help the nation grow as one single country and not 13 individual states.

This proposal of Hamilton’s was controversial and led to disagreements, discussions,  and debates to all those involved with creating and writing the new constitution. The numerous supporters that were opposed to Congress having sole authority felt the new Constitution would be more suitable if the militia would remain diffused between the 13 states. For the anti federalist they viewed this the same way the nations in Europe did. The best example given is Switzerland and the cantons. Just like the states, the cantons are held under a national government and has never been known to have a standing army.” And yet that nation has preserved its freedom for many ages, with the sole help of a militia, and has never been known to have a standing army, except when in actual war”. They argue why would the wouldnt we follow this example as they were able to defend themselves with separate militias and without a true standing army.

The Federalist  and Hamilton defended the idea and wanted to entrust the power of the militia to Congress. They felt the uniformity in the organization and discipline would be most beneficial to the newly formed nation. Whenever the militia was to be called into service, “It would enable them to discharge the duties of the camp and of the field with mutual intelligence and concert an advantage of peculiar moment in the operations of an army; and it would fit them much sooner to acquire the degree of proficiency in military functions which would be essential to their usefulness.” Having one militia under the national power opposed to 13 separate authorities has an advantage when it comes to the leadership and instructions to the militia personnel. When the militia needed to be brought in, having the power under one would allow a smoother transition to all individuals coming together.  If the militias were to be under each state legislature, there would be confusion for all militia groups leading to mistakes. 

Hamilton’s largest argument regarding the power of the militia was the concept that all the 13 seperate armed militias would be unnecessarily multiplied. This would cause financial and personal burdens on the militiamen. Hamilton explained,  “It would form an annual deduction from the productive labor of the country, to an amount which, calculating upon the present numbers of the people, would not fall far short of the whole expense of the civil establishments of all the States.” The effort that would be necessary for all the state militias to come together when called would be more difficult than that at the national level. Hamilton suggested that the militiamen should meet once or twice a year to ensure they were properly equipped and ready whenever the defense was needed. 

Militiamen were seen as more trustworthy than active-duty soldiers. Militias were also seen as a direct reflection of the people themselves fighting for their own rights and freedom. Being a part of the militia was seen as one of the highest forms of civic duty, whereas if a person was seen as a full time soldier they were seen as low moral. Hamilton, however, pointed out that the militiamen will not lose their moral character if the federal government would come to authority over the state militias. 

Hamilton tried to convince the opposing party and any other non-supporters that the federal militia was not made of strangers from different states, rather they were citizens under the new nation just as they, the opposers, were also citizens of the new nation. Hamilton stated,  “What shadow of danger can there be from men who are daily mingling with the rest of their countrymen and who participate with them in the same feelings, sentiments, habits and interests?” Some that opposed felt the federal government would have too much power controlling the standing army and the militia. Hamilton dismissed the opposition’s claim that the government would take advantage and use these militias as a way for tyranny. Those questioning still wondered who had the rights to appoint officers in the militia. “the circumstance of the officers being in the appointment of the States ought at once to extinguish it. There can be no doubt that this circumstance will always secure to them a preponderating influence over the militia.”

Another discussion made by Hamilton was sometimes the type of federal or national response that is needed may not need to use lethal force. The federal government would have more options to pick from if it does not see the need to respond with the militia first. The federal government would have a variety of forms that a state government might not have. The  inefficient and higher cost at the state level would be a disadvantage while the federal government would more easily deal with the situation swiftly with a wider range of resources. 

Hamilton stated numerous times the long term effects of allowing the 13 States to control their own militia would be destructive to America. Hamilton also responded to the opposition over standing armies. Hamilton also went against the opposing party’s suggestions with the standing armies. He felt a standing army needed to be controlled by Congress as well. If 13 states were to control individual armies, some armies would have a natural advantage over others, causing unequal options when the armies were needed. The opposition felt that the command of congress over the militia would be destructive of public liberty. Liberty would be disappearing from the fellow-citizens. The guidance of the arbitrary government will show through to the implementation of tyranny and can only be done by violating the constitution. 

Hamilton further discussed Posse Comitatus, which was originally part of the English common law. Posse Comitatus involved the authority of a law enforcement officer to obtain assistance from non law enforcement personnel who are mobilized by the sheriff to suppress lawlessness in the county. Again, Hamilton felt that having one set jurisdiction, in this case law enforcement, would be more beneficial to the newly founded United States. To have multiple factions with the ultimate goal would be a disadvantage.   “It would be as absurd to doubt, that a right to pass all laws NECESSARY AND PROPER to execute its declared powers, would include that of requiring the assistance of the citizens to the officers who may be entrusted with the execution of those laws, as it would be to believe, that a right to enact laws necessary and proper for the imposition and collection of taxes would involve that of varying the rules of descent and of the alienation of landed property, or of abolishing the trial by jury in cases relating to it.”  

The power of regulating the militia, and of commanding its services was an important topic discussed in “The Federalist 29”. Alexander Hamilton and the “Anti federalist” have very different views. In the Anti-Federalist, “The standing army must be numerous, and as a further support, it wilt be the policy of this government to multiply officers in every department; judges, collectors, tax-gatherers, excisemen and the whole host of revenue officers, will swarm over the land, devouring the hard earnings of the industrious like the locusts of old, impoverishing and desolating all before them.” explained many benefits of having national concentrated authority. He stated the power of the militia should be under Congress and in federal control. Hamilton argued that the federal control over the state militias would allow the national government to deploy to all the different states in times of war. He expressed that failure to comply at the federal level would  cause some states issues during wartime, or any other time the militia were needed. Hamilton supported his statement,”In times of insurrection, or invasion, it would be natural and proper that the militia of a neighboring State should be marched into another, to resist a common enemy, or to guard the republic against the violence of faction or sedition.”  Having separate states powers was a dividing factor in a newly formed nation that needed to be unified as one. As Hamilton argued, the overall benefit of having the federal authority far overcome any of the gains of dispensing this authority over multiple states.