About the Federal Farmer

Dear Sir,

Much of the public debate concerning ratification of our Constitution in 1787-88 was carried out via the information superhighway of the day: the printed Press. While there was nothing controversial about publishing the proposed Constitution for the public’s edification, printing opinion and commentary about the document could easily earn the author “the just resentment of an incensed people, who perhaps may honor him with a coat of TAR and FEATHERS“, so many of the authors of these op-ed pieces engaged in the common practice of writing under a pseudonym. Publius, for example, was the pseudonym used by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay in the Federalist Papers.

Perhaps the most respected voice of the so-called Anti-Federalists was the Federal Farmer, who published two collections of letters “to the Republican”, one in 1787, the other in 1788. Nobody really knows the identity of the Federal Farmer, for nearly two centuries the conventional logic held that it was probably Richard Henry Lee, until the mid 1970s when Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Gordon S. Wood made a good case that it probably wasn’t Lee at all. With all due respect to Mr. Wood, I kind of like thinking it was Lee, rather than some of the alternatives like Melancton Smith that have been argued. Forgive my faith in the face of logic and reason…a man has to have his vices sometimes, especially when he’s had to give up all the fun vices in the hope of extending his life for a few more ticks of the clock.

Many think that “the Republican” was Governor of New York, George Clinton, but the identity of the recipient is as ambiguous as the author. To me the ambiguity of both author and recipient are not important – the letters were eloquent and insightful, if not brilliant. I can think of no better example of writing and communicating ideas to strive for myself, than those of the pseudonym I have adopted for this blog. I only mention the Republican to make it clear that the Republican I am writing to is just as ambiguous and not (necessarily) an actual Republican. The Republican is you, the reader. I hope both ladies and gentlemen will forgive me for addressing you as sir.

Just as in 1787, many will question why I feel the need to write using a pseudonym, wonder what I have to hide and question my motives, integrity and courage. There was a time when I would have had the same reservations and indeed I did write under my own name. I can assure you that I am not hiding. I am using a pseudonym because I want to highlight the sad fact that our country has become exactly what Americans on both sides of the Constitutional ratification debate sought to prevent us from becoming – a place where one has good reason to fear exercising their right to free speech. My use of this pseudonym is the literary equivalent of flying the flag upside down – a sign of distress, because our country has gone off the road of liberty and seems to be careening into the ditch of tyranny, plutocracy and fascism.

Despite the pseudonym, I will tell you a little about me:

I am a middle-aged white guy who grew up in an urban/suburban environment, the oldest of 6 kids in a lower-middle class family.
I was raised Catholic, but no longer subscribe to any organized religion.
I spent a decade serving my country as a Marine.
I’ve been a working stiff and a leader of working stiffs.
I have started, run and lost my own business – a couple of times.
I have kids and grand kids – and a deep concern for their futures.
I did my “turn” in elected office as a Republican…until the GOP went bat-freaking crazy after 9/11. Now I am an independent and no longer subscribe any specific political party or ideology.
I do not necessarily share the same political views as the original Federal Farmer.

the Federal Farmer