— for the same reason, that no such project had come before him — was not to be expected."^ The question naturally arises, then, "Why should Hamilton select this unfamiliar topic for a number of ITie Federalist f " To Madison, on the other hand, the project was familiar. The results of its work form the subject of the latter part of No. 48, and he had dis- cussed this Council of Censors briefly as early as August, 1785, in his letter to John Brown, of Kentucky.^
Number 51.
In No. 51 the writer continues the discussion of the pre- ceding numbers as to the proper means "of maintaining in practice the necessary partition of power among the several departments." This line of thought was a favorite one with Madison.
Number 61.
" Second. It is of great im- portance in a republic not only to guard the society against the oppression of its rulers, but to guard one part of the society against the injustice of the other part. Different in- terests necessarily exist in dif- ferent classes of citizens. If a majority be united by a com- mon interest, the rights of the minority will be insecure." Cf. Madison's Notes on the Confederacy, Writings^ I, 325- 26, April, 1787.
"Whilst all authority in it will be derived from and de-
Mddison,
(Objects of the Senate.) " These were, — first, to pro- tect the people against their rulers, secondly, to protect the people against the transient impressions into which they themselves might be led." Debates, 2^. (June 26.) . . . "as different interests neces- sarily result from the liberty secured, the major interest might, under sudden impulses, be tempted to commit injus- tice on the minority. " Debates, ibid. See also letter to Jeffer- son giving an account of the Convention, Oct. 1787. Writ- ings, I, 353.
1 J. C. Hamilton's edition of The Federalist^ cxiii.
2 Writings, I, 183.
