Federalists and Republicans Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Federalists and Republicans - Essay Example The Constitution of 1787, drafted to replace the original Articles of Confederation, was instrumental in the formation of the Federalist government. Taxes had long been seen as intrusive and oppressive . In the Constitution, Article 8 states, "The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence (sic) and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States" ("Transcript of Constitution of the United States (1787)"). Thomas Paine had written in his landmark book The Rights of Man that, "To say that any people are not fit for freedom, is to make poverty their choice, and to say they had rather be loaded with taxes than not". (qtd in Smith). Paine was noting that taxation was a redistribution of power from the common man to the national government. This Federalist position would assure the strength of the central government over the powe r of the individual states. To further control the states and the people, The Alien and Sedition Act of 1798 impeded the ability to congregate or organize any movement against the power of the Federalist government.