The Federalist | Page 9

pitiful figure
will America make in their eyes! How liable would she become not
only to their contempt but to their outrage, and how soon would
dear-bought experience proclaim that when a people or family so
divide, it never fails to be against themselves.
PUBLIUS.

FEDERALIST No. 5
The Same Subject Continued (Concerning Dangers From Foreign
Force and Influence)
For the Independent Journal.
JAY
To the People of the State of New York:
QUEEN ANNE, in her letter of the 1st July, 1706, to the Scotch
Parliament, makes some observations on the importance of the UNION
then forming between England and Scotland, which merit our attention.
I shall present the public with one or two extracts from it: "An entire
and perfect union will be the solid foundation of lasting peace: It will

secure your religion, liberty, and property; remove the animosities
amongst yourselves, and the jealousies and differences betwixt our two
kingdoms. It must increase your strength, riches, and trade; and by this
union the whole island, being joined in affection and free from all
apprehensions of different interest, will be ENABLED TO RESIST
ALL ITS ENEMIES." "We most earnestly recommend to you calmness
and unanimity in this great and weighty affair, that the union may be
brought to a happy conclusion, being the only EFFECTUAL way to
secure our present and future happiness, and disappoint the designs of
our and your enemies, who will doubtless, on this occasion, USE
THEIR UTMOST ENDEAVORS TO PREVENT OR DELAY THIS
UNION."
It was remarked in the preceding paper, that weakness and divisions at
home would invite dangers from abroad; and that nothing would tend
more to secure us from them than union, strength, and good
government within ourselves. This subject is copious and cannot easily
be exhausted.
The history of Great Britain is the one with which we are in general the
best acquainted, and it gives us many useful lessons. We may profit by
their experience without paying the price which it cost them. Although
it seems obvious to common sense that the people of such an island
should be but one nation, yet we find that they were for ages divided
into three, and that those three were almost constantly embroiled in
quarrels and wars with one another. Notwithstanding their true interest
with respect to the continental nations was really the same, yet by the
arts and policy and practices of those nations, their mutual jealousies
were perpetually kept inflamed, and for a long series of years they were
far more inconvenient and troublesome than they were useful and
assisting to each other.
Should the people of America divide themselves into three or four
nations, would not the same thing happen? Would not similar
jealousies arise, and be in like manner cherished? Instead of their being
"joined in affection" and free from all apprehension of different
"interests," envy and jealousy would soon extinguish confidence and

affection, and the partial interests of each confederacy, instead of the
general interests of all America, would be the only objects of their
policy and pursuits. Hence, like most other BORDERING nations, they
would always be either involved in disputes and war, or live in the
constant apprehension of them.
The most sanguine advocates for three or four confederacies cannot
reasonably suppose that they would long remain exactly on an equal
footing in point of strength, even if it was possible to form them so at
first; but, admitting that to be practicable, yet what human contrivance
can secure the continuance of such equality? Independent of those local
circumstances which tend to beget and increase power in one part and
to impede its progress in another, we must advert to the effects of that
superior policy and good management which would probably
distinguish the government of one above the rest, and by which their
relative equality in strength and consideration would be destroyed. For
it cannot be presumed that the same degree of sound policy, prudence,
and foresight would uniformly be observed by each of these
confederacies for a long succession of years.
Whenever, and from whatever causes, it might happen, and happen it
would, that any one of these nations or confederacies should rise on the
scale of political importance much above the degree of her neighbors,
that moment would those neighbors behold her with envy and with fear.
Both those passions would lead them to countenance, if not to promote,
whatever might promise to diminish her importance; and would also
restrain them from measures calculated to advance or even to secure
her prosperity. Much time would not be necessary to enable her to
discern these unfriendly dispositions. She would soon begin, not only
to lose confidence in her neighbors, but also to feel a disposition
equally unfavorable to them. Distrust naturally creates distrust,