Publius

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There is a lengthy history of anonymous political writing in this country. One of the more famous involves the essays which appeared in New York newspapers in 1787 and 1788 under the pseudonym, Publius. Written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay, these essays argued for the ratification of the Constitution, which was then being debated by the States. They chose to write under a pseudonym because they wanted the public—some of whom might be prejudiced for or against them personally—to fairly consider the arguments they were making in support of the Constitution. Their ideas were the ones which carried the day, as the States ratified the Constitution, making it the supreme law of the land. Today, these essays, collected in The Federalist Papers, are regarded as exceptional statements of the philosophy undergirding the American system of government.

Like Madison, Hamilton, and Jay before us, the staff and Founding Members of the Caucus have chosen to write our commentary under the name, Publius. We do this not only to honor these great patriots, but also because we hope to achieve what they achieved. We believe that the arguments we make for conservative ideals are important ones and we want the American people to fairly consider the arguments, and not be influenced by their author. And we hope that our arguments for the restoration of our Constitutional Republic will carry the day, just as those of the original Publius did.

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