Published in New York in the fall of 1787, these Antifederalist essays were some of the most widely read in the period. Written as a series of letters to “the Republican”—New York governor George Clinton—"The Federal Farmer” argues that the proposed constitution will tend to destroy federalism and instead consolidate political power in the central government. These essays suggest that real republican government is not possible at the national level, because national politicians will not be sufficiently accountable to their constituents. In Federalist No. 68, “Publius” calls the pseudonymous “Federal Farmer” the “most plausible” of the Constitution’s opponents. The author’s identity is not known, though scholars have suggested Richard Henry Lee or Melancton Smith.