Konstytucja jako narzędzie narodu. Rola Alexandra Hamiltona w rozwoju amerykańskiej hermeneutyki konstytucyjnej

Tomasz Tulejski

doi:10.35765/hp.2869

Published : 2026-06-30

Vol. 17 No. 59 (2026)

The constitution as an instrument of the nation: alexander hamilton’s role in the development of american constitutional hermeneutics

Tomasz Tulejski

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9466-1173

DOI: https://doi.org/10.35765/hp.2869

Section: Articles Varia

Abstract

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: The research objective of the article is to analyze Alexander Hamilton’s interpretive philosophy regarding the United States Constitution and to demonstrate its influence on the development of American constitutional hermeneutics, particularly in the context of similarities to the principles applied by the Supreme Court under John Marshall’s leadership.

THE RESEARCH PROBLEM AND METHOD: The research problem of the article focuses on analyzing Alexander Hamilton’s role in shaping American constitutional hermeneutics, with particular emphasis on his interpretive philosophy of the United States Constitution. The article examines how Hamilton’s vision of a loose construction of the Constitution, supporting a strong federal government and a modern national economy, influenced the jurisprudence of the Supreme Court under John Marshall’s leadership.

THE PROCESS OF ARGUMENTATION: The reasoning process begins with an overview of the historical and legal context of American constitutional hermeneutics, emphasizing the disputes between Federalists and Anti-Federalists and the role of John Marshall. Next, the author defines the terminological issue, clarifying the distinction between interpretation and construction in the English legal tradition, establishing the theoretical framework for the analysis.

RESEARCH RESULTS: The scientific analysis demonstrates that Alexander Hamilton played a crucial role in developing a loose interpretation of the Constitution, promoting the doctrine of implied powers and a strong federal government. His philosophy was reflected in the jurisprudence of John Marshall, particularly in the McCulloch v. Maryland case, which upheld the constitutionality of the Second Bank of the United States.

CONCLUSIONS, INNOVATIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS: The analysis of the article confirms that Alexander Hamilton’s loose construction of the Constitution, supporting a strong federal government, had a lasting impact on American constitutional hermeneutics, particularly through John Marshall’s jurisprudence.

Keywords

Alexander Hamilton ; constitutional hermeneutics ; John Marshall ; federalism

Details

References

Indicators

Authors

Download files

PDF (Język Polski)

Zasady cytowania

Altmetric indicators

Licence

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a CC BY-ND licence that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are asked to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.

Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access). We advise to use any of the following reserach society portals:

References

Bailey, J.D. (2007). Thomas Jefferson and Executive Power. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Bellia, A.J. Jr. (2022). The Constitutional Law of Interpretation. Notre Dame Law Review, 98(2), 519–616.

Brutus II (1992). W H.J. Storing (Red.), The Anti-Federalist. Writings by the Opponents of the Constitution (s. 117–122). Chicago–London: The University of Chicago Press.

Brutus XI (1992). W H.J. Storing (Red.), The Anti-Federalist. Writings by the Opponents of the Constitution (s. 153–158). Chicago–London: The University of Chicago Press.

Chernow, R. (2004). Alexander Hamilton. New York: Penguin Books.

Choon Yoo J. (1992). Marshall’s Plan: The Early Supreme Court and Statutory Interpretation. The Yale Law Journal, 101, 1607–1630.

Crosskey, W.W. (1956). John Marshall and the Constitution. The University of Chicago Law Review, 23(3), 377–397.

Currie, D.P. (1985). The Constitution in the Supreme Court: The First Hundred Years 1789–1888. Chicago–London: University of Chi-cago Press.

Faulkner, R.K. (2011). John Marshall. W M.J. Frisch & R.G. Stevens (Red.), American Political Thought. The Philosophic Dimension of American Statesman (s. 145–172). London–New York: Routledge.

Frankfurter, F. (1937). The Commerce Clause Under Marshall, Taney, and Waite. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press.

Goebel, J. Jr., & Smith J.H. (Red.) (1980). The Law Practice of Alexander Hamilton. T. IV. New York: Columbia University Press.

Goldstone, L. (2008). The Activist: John Marshall, Marbury v. Madison, and the Myth of Judicial Review. New York: Walker and Company.

Hacker, L.M. (1957). Alexander Hamilton in the American Tradition. New York: McGraw-Hill Book.

Hamilton, A. (1832). Opinion of Alexander Hamilton, on the Consti-tutionality of a National Bank. W M.St. Clarke & D.A. Hall (Red.), Legislative and Documentary History of the Bank of the United States. Washington: Gales and Seaton.

Hamilton, A. (1834). Colonel Hamilton to the Hon. James Duane, Liberty Pole, 1780. W J.Ch. Hamilton (Red.), The Life of Alexander Hamilton. T. I (s. 284–305). New York: Halsted & Voorhies.

Hamilton, A. (1904a). Carriage Tax. The Works of Alexandr Hamilton. T. VIII (s. 378–383), New York–London: G.P. Putnam’s Sons.

Hamilton, A. (1904b). Examination of Jefferson’s Message to Con-gress of December 7, 1801, No. XII. The Works of Alexandr Hamil-ton. T. VIII (s. 246–372). New York–London: G.P.Putnam’s Sons.

Hamilton, A. (1904c). Objections and Answers respecting the Ad-ministration of the Government. The Works of Alexandr Hamilton. T. II (s. 427–471). London: G.P. Putnam’s Sons.

Hamilton, A. (1904d). Report on Manufactures. The Works of Alexandr Hamilton. T. IV (s. 70–164). London: G.P. Putnam’s Sons.

Hamilton, A. (1904e). To Rufus King, New York, Jan. 5, 1800. The Works of Alexandr Hamilton. T. X (s. 357–360). New York–London: G.P. Putnam’s Sons.

Hamilton, A. (2005a), Federalist Fifteen. W The Federalist (s. 74–81). Indianapolis–Cambridge: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.

Hamilton, A. (2005b), Federalist Thirty-four. W The Federalist (s. 176–180). Indianapolis–Cambridge: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.

Irons, P. (2000). A People’s History of the Supreme Court. New York: Penguin Books.

Jefferson Powell, H. (1990). The Original Understanding and Origi-nal Intent. W J.N.Rakove (Red.), Interpreting the Constitution: The Debate Over Original Intent (s. 53–116). Boston: Northeastern Univerissty Press.

Jefferson, T. (1954). To Philip Mazzei, Paris Nov. 1785. W J.P. Boyd (Red.), The Papers of Thomas Jefferson. T. 9 (s. 67–71). Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Kent Newmyer, R. (1968). The Supreme Court under Marshall and Taney. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Company.

Koch, A. (1961). Power, Morals, and the Founding Fathers. Ithaca: Great Seal Books.

Konefsky, S.J. (1964). John Marshall and Alexander Hamlton: Architects of the American Constitution. New York–London: Macmillan.

Total abstract views : 10

PDF Downloads : 6