Ladies and gentlemen, today we are gathered here for the one reason that we all want the best for each and every one living in our thirteen states. Whether to have federal or state-led governments may appear to be a very simple question but, in truth, it is one of the most complex. After much profound thought, I came to the conclusion that having a strong federal government is the only way we will forge a brighter future not just for us but for generations to come. I know that a majority of you are concerned that under a federal government, we will be having a crowned head leading our nation.
However, for our nation's best interest, it is indeed better to have one individual being the leader. The fears of a monarch style system of government are justified. We should be in agreement that several people purporting to lead this nation even if legally in office is a recipe for never-ending disagreements. Indeed, just as in our homesteads, we have an agreed head of the family; it is no different in our nation which is one vast collective family for all of us.
I am sure there will be adequate checks and balances (Epstein, 2015) to ensure that the president would not stand a chance of abusing the powers conferred on him or her by you the people of this nation. Just as every state would have its own Congress, the people's representative, so would be the federal government. There would be a two-tier government, the state and a federal government. The federal government would have three branches; the executive, the judiciary and a bicameral legislature. Members of the legislature would be voted in by you. Therefore, they will be our brothers, sisters, neighbors and friends whom we have lived together with for most of our lives. Those in the legislature will not be strangers to us as being suggested by the anti-federalists.
For many of us, there is the fear that there will be a repeat of events such as the Shay's rebellion in 1786 and the Revolutionary war. And, yes, the fears are justified. Such rebellions arose out the excessive burdens placed on the people to support the state and central governments. However, in the new dispensation, the Articles of the Confederation that allowed for such burdens to placed be on the people will be ratified, and a new workable constitution will be written. The constitution will address the concerns that for a long time have been the cause of the fears that we harbor about a federal government. As it is right now, the various governments can rewrite their constitutions at will since the Articles of Confederation allow that. It is evident that if we were to develop more as people, there would be a need to unite for there is strength in unity. This unity cannot be achieved without us having a common constitution across the states that will be voted in by all of you.
Let me conclude by urging all of you to carefully consider the benefits of uniting as a nation in both deed and word. The more united our various states are, the better the chance of us having a more prosperous country regarding our defence, our economy and our societal values. Let us all agree to have a federal government to complement our state governments for our unity is our strength.
References
Epstein, R. A. (2015). Rediscovering the Classical Liberal Constitution: A Reply to Professor Hovenkamp. Iowa Law Review, 101 (1), PP 55-90.
Kapstein, E. (1997). Hamilton and the Jeffersonian myth. World Policy Journal, 14 (1), PP 35- 44.
