The Federalist Papers and the Electoral College

Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich recently posted on Facebook a reference to the Federalist Papers, written by James Madison, John Jay and Alexander Hamilton, promoting the ratification of the United States Constitution. The three authors, writing as "Publius," wrote 85 articles and essays between October 1787 and August 1788.

Reich referred specifically to Federalist Paper Number 68, which explains the system of the Electoral College and its purpose in protecting the office of the President from being achieved through trickery or the action of hostile governments.

The process of election affords a moral certainty, that the office of President will never fall to the lot of any man who is not in an eminent degree endowed with the requisite qualifications. Talents for low intrigue, and the little arts of popularity, may alone suffice to elevate a man to the first honors in a single State; but it will require other talents, and a different kind of merit, to establish him in the esteem and confidence of the whole Union, or of so considerable a portion of it as would be necessary to make him a successful candidate for the distinguished office of President of the United States. It will not be too strong to say, that there will be a constant probability of seeing the station filled by characters pre-eminent for ability and virtue. And this will be thought no inconsiderable recommendation of the Constitution, by those who are able to estimate the share which the executive in every government must necessarily have in its good or ill administration. Though we cannot acquiesce in the political heresy of the poet who says: "For forms of government let fools contest That which is best administered is best,'' yet we may safely pronounce, that the true test of a good government is its aptitude and tendency to produce a good administration.

​Federalist Paper Number 68, which was written by Alexander Hamilton, is linked below.
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/fed68.asp