Today in Supreme Court History: June 18, 1787

6/18/1787: Alexander Hamilton introduces his plan to the Constitutional Convention.

Alexander Hamilton

Comments

[Brett Bellmore]

His acorn, planted to obtain an oak tree, as I like to put it. The other founders should have been a bit more careful about his influence...

[JoeFromtheBronx]

A man with a plan.

His plan included a Senate and president [supreme executive authority/governor] where each served for good behavior.

Hamilton's strong national plan was dead in the water. Maybe if he did it in verse?

https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Hamilton/01-04-02-0099

Nonetheless, long term, he would have a major role in selling his view of what the final product meant. This would include in the Federalist Papers, some op-eds that were mainly co-written by his future rival, James Madison.

Hamilton was not interpreting the Constitution purely objectively. No one does. It involves applying text with an underlining understanding of its principles and how it should be applied.

See, e.g., the split opinions handed down by the Supreme Court today.

[Dan Schiavetta]

The "Virginia Plan", authored by Madison, proposed a stronger federal government and it was not going over well with the other delegates. One might guess that Hamilton put forth his (almost) absolutist plan to make the Virginia Plan look moderate. But there is no evidence that Hamilton discussed it in advance with Madison or in any way prepared the delegates for what he was about to propose.

[JoeFromtheBronx]

The final result was a "great compromise" that Madison was depressed about in multiple ways.

The Constitution overall expanded the power of the federal government, if not as far as Madison and Hamilton wanted.

Madison eventually was worried about how far Hamilton and the Federalists went. He joined the resistance and helped create the first opposition party along with Jefferson.

As with PPACA, how exactly the Constitution would operate, and deciding how we should respond, would take it being put into practice.