These 16 essays, written throughout 1787-88, present some of the most famous Antifederalist arguments against ratifying the Constitution. The author of the essays uses the pseudonym “Brutus,” named after the ancient Roman Lucius Junius Brutus, and scholars have long debated his identity. Evidence suggests “Brutus” could have been Robert Yates of New York, Melancton Smith of New York, or John Williams of Boston. “Brutus” argues in these essays that the proposed constitution will gradually erode both state autonomy and civil liberties. He suggests that the “necessary and proper” clause in Article I section 8 will be used as a pretext to collect all political power at the federal level. His essays also include discussions of representation, political accountability, and the threat of tyranny. His papers were written contemporaneously with the Federalist Papers, and the two works often address one another’s arguments directly.