"By sect. 8, of the first article of the proposed plan ofgovernment, 'the Congress are to have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defence and general welfare of the United States, but all duties, imposts and excises, shall be uniform throughout the United States.'  Now what can be more comprehensive than these words; not content by other sections of this plan, to grant all the great executive powers of a confederation, and a STANDING ARMY IN TIME OF PEACE, that grand engine of oppression, and moreover the absotute controul over the commerce of the United States and all external objects of revenue, such as unlimited imposts uponimports, &c -- they are to be vested with every species of internal taxation; -- whatever taxes, duties and excises that they may deem requisite for the general welfare, may be imposed on the citizens of these states, levied by the officers of Congress, distributed through every district of America; and the collection would be enforced by the standing army, however grievous or improper they may be.  The Congress may construe every purpose for which the state legislatures now lay taxes, to be for the general welfare, and thereby seize upon every object of revenue."

                                                                                  --Samuel Bryan "A Most Daring Attempt to Establish A Despotic Aristocracy"

                                                                                     Independant Gazetteer (Philidelphia), October 5 1787

                                                                                    (Emphasis in original)        

It's interesting that some of the people who opposed (anti-federalists)the constitution were worried about the same things as some of the people who claim to be defending it today (anti-federal "Libertarians").  I'm not sure exactly what the means, but it is interesting.  

What seems clear to me, is that the anti-federalists didn't trust "the people" to do their job as checks of government over-reach, while the Federalists counted upon it quite heavily.        

[Personal note:  I'd better watch it and stop quoteing Samuel Bryan, or the accusations will fly that I'm some sort of reincarnation of a Samuel Bryan fan-girl who wants to give birth to his clone or something)    Oh well, people WILL talk.]