Federalist 10

AMONG the numerous advantages promised by a well constructed Union, none deserves to be more accurately developed than its tendency to break and control the violence of faction. The friend of popular governments never finds himself so much alarmed for their character and fate, as when he contemplates their propensity to this dangerous vice. He will not fail, therefore, to set a due value on any plan which, without violating the principles to which he is attached, provides a proper cure for it. (10.1)

Dig that shouting all caps at the beginning. That's how you know he's SERIOUS.

Right out of the gate, Madison addresses the main issue of the paper by saying that a Union is great at managing the power of faction, and also that factions are a big problem that need a lot of managing.

Basically, it's a good thing we have a big mop, because there's a big spill on Aisle 8. When he says Union, he means a Union as opposed to a Confederacy, which the United States had been previously.

The old model's not working, so it's time to sell it on Craigslist and pick up a new one. The paper establishes a problem, to explain why his solution will be the most effective.

Federalist 51

TO WHAT expedient, then, shall we finally resort, for maintaining in practice the necessary partition of power among the several departments, as laid down in the Constitution? The only answer that can be given is, that as all these exterior provisions are found to be inadequate, the defect must be supplied, by so contriving the interior structure of the government as that its several constituent parts may, by their mutual relations, be the means of keeping each other in their proper places. (51.1)

Ugh. Stop SHOUTING at us, James Madison. What did we ever do to you?

Madison begins by saying the Constitution has established a balance between the powers of the three branches of government: how is it going to maintain that balance?

We talked the talk, now we're going to at least show you how we're going to walk the walk.

The lines demonstrate that Madison isn't just concerned with the government as of now, but takes a long view towards how the government will be able to sustain itself when other generations are at the helm. Legacy's also a big theme of the early period of the United States. An old Greek proverb sums up that sentiment nicely: "A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in."