Final answer:
John Jay believed that people who are orderly, industrious, knowledgeable, and virtuous should hold more power in government, as they are seen to be natural defenders of the worthy, fostering stability and a union in the republic.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to John Jay, the natural defenders of the worthy, the better sort of people—those who are orderly and industrious, who are content with their situations and not uneasy in their circumstances—should have more power. Jay raised concerns about republican equality which, according to him, diminished the motivation for industry and conflated lack of merit with virtue. He believed that recognizing a proper amount of inequality and natural distinctions was crucial, emphasizing that people who have knowledge, judgment, information, integrity, and extensive connections should not be equated with those devoid of reputation or character. For Jay, and other Federalists, ensuring the governance of the nation lay in the hands of the virtuous and capable was a means of fostering union and stability within the republic.
The views of other Founding Fathers, mentioned in the context such as Hamilton and Madison, indicate a preference towards a republic that allows for a measure of elite influence, while still preventing the concentration of power in a small number of hands. The Federalist conception sought a balance where property holders and those of 'attractive merit' could steer the government, guarding against the tyranny of a majority, and ensuring that the republic would survive based on civic virtue and an educated citizenry. Both the ownership of property and the capacity for virtuous behaviour were seen as tethering individuals more firmly to the interests of the state, thus making them fit to have more political power.