Question

[Limited government] can be preserved in practice no other way than through the medium of courts of justice, whose duty it must be to declare all acts contrary to the manifest tenor of the Constitution void.

—Alexander Hamilton,
Federalist No. 78

Which statement is the best summary of this passage?

Courts preserve limited government by protecting the Constitution from attack.
Courts are a threat to limited government under the Constitution.
Courts must work with other branches of government to protect the Constitution.
Courts alone have a responsibility to follow the Constitution.

Answer 1

Courts preserve limited government by protecting the Constitution from attack.

Explanation: Hamilton argues that courts are the necessary instrument for keeping government limited by declaring unconstitutional acts void.