Federalist No. 63 is an essay by

James Madison James Madison Jr. (March 16, 1751June 28, 1836) was an American statesman, diplomat, and Founding Father. He served as the fourth president of the United States from 1809 to 1817. Madison is hailed as the "Father of the Constitution" for h ...

, the sixty-third of ''

The Federalist Papers ''The Federalist Papers'' is a collection of 85 articles and essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay under the collective pseudonym "Publius" to promote the ratification of the Constitution of the United States. The c ...

''. It was published on March 1, 1788, under the

pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...

Publius, the name under which all ''The Federalist'' papers were published. Continuing what Madison began in

Federalist No. 62 Federalist No. 62 is an essay by James Madison, the sixty-second of ''The Federalist Papers''. It was published on February 27, 1788 under the pseudonym Publius, the name under which all ''The Federalist'' papers were published. This is the fir ...

, it is the second of two essays detailing and justifying the organization of the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

. No. 63 is titled "The Senate Continued". This essay is the last of Madison's contributions to the series. In this paper, Madison lays out more reasons for the necessity of the Senate. He argues that the Senate, a strong and the most stable member of the government, is needed to ensure lasting relations with foreign nations. He also notes that because Senators are elected to six-year terms, they will have sufficient time to be responsible for their actions. The Senate can also serve as a check on the people since, although during most times their will is just, they too are "subject to the eriodicinfection of violent passions." Madison also gives examples of past long-lived republics, all of which had a Senate. They, however, had senates elected for life, which, if followed, could threaten the liberty of the people. It is for this reason why the Senate proposed in the constitution has six-year terms. In this way, the Senate in the Union blends stability with the idea of liberty.

External links

Text of The Federalist No. 63
congress.gov 1788 in law 63 1788 in the United States 1788 essays {{FederalistPapers-stub