THE AUTHORSHIP OF THE FEDERALIST 119
New York. The approaching departure, however, of Madi- son toward the end of February, compelled Hamilton to take up the task if the series was to be continued, and he wrote Nos. 59-61, on the control of the Union over the federal elec- tions, three numbers that could have come after 62 and 63 more logically than before them.
These considerations make it somewhat more probable that these numbers were written by Madison than by Hamilton, but the weight of the probability must be left to the judg- ment of the reader.
In examining the internal evidence, limitations of space as well as lack of indications will prevent the treatment of the numbers with equal detail, but as they are attributed en bloc to either Madison or Hamilton by most of the lists, satisfac- tory proof that any two or three of them were written by one of the two will go far to turn the scale in his favor for the rest. I shall, therefore, present the evidence as fully as pos- sible in regard to some numbers, and only the most striking indications in regard to the rest.
Number 49.
No. 49 continues the discussion on the separation of the powers begun in No. 48, and takes for special considera- tion a protective device proposed by Jefferson in his Notes on Virginia, providing for any two departments to unite in calling a convention in case the third should encroach on the Constitution.
This project of Jefferson's was known to Madison in August, 1785.^ By May, 1786, he had in his possession a copy of the privately printed edition of Jefferson's NotesJ^ The first published edition of the Notes came out in London early in August, 1787, ^ and it was from this edition that Madison quoted in the preceding number of The Federalist
1 Writings of James Madison, I, 183. To be cited as Writings.
2 Ihid., 234.
8 Ford's Jefferson's W<yrlcs, III, 79.
