Title

The business of May next : James Madison and the founding

Description

Good fortune offered this nation an unusual chance at ideal nation-forming and... some honorable leaders seized that chance, writes William Lee Miller in The Business of May Next, and none among the founders made more of the opportunity than did James Madison, subject of this engaging work. Madison is depicted during the critical years between 1784 and 1791, when he was so active in articulating the governmental aims of the fledgling nation that he sometimes found himself in official dialogue with himself. More than simply a historical and biographical account, the book traces Madison's political and theoretical development as a means of illuminating its larger theme, the moral and intellectual underpinnings of the American nation. With a sound grasp of his material and a refreshing style Miller reveals how Madison's research into republics and his influence on the writing of the Constitution are central to the values for which the nation stands. From an examination of Madison's notes, Miller traces Madison's early research into other republics and their weaknesses. He reveals how Madison's thinking shaped the Virginia Plan, which, in turn, shaped the United States Constitution and the nation's institutions. The author writes that Madison sought the strands of Republicanism in history and gave republican ideals new and lasting institutional expression. He shows how the making of republican institutions became a collaboration, and how the newly created institutions contained within themselves provision for their own continuing alteration and for the involvement and influence of collective humanity down through the years. Miller follows Madison through the Constitutional Convention ("the business of May next") to the great national argument on behalf of the Constitution, notably through the Federalist papers. Of particular interest are his discussions of the constitutional deliberations over religious freedom and the institution of slavery.

Identifier

415100

813913683

Creator

Miller, William Lee

Source

Brian Lamb Booknotes Collection

Gift of Brian Lamb, 2011.

Catalog record

Language

eng

Date

1992

Program air date: June 14, 1992.

Publisher

University Press of Virginia

George Mason University. Libraries. Special Collections & Archives

Text

Transcription of Annotations
Notes on front endpapers: If James Madison were here today, what would he think? Was Madison's record biased? What does republican mean? Impact of Dr. John Witherspoon? Why is Federalist No 10 his greatest? What is the difference between republican and democratic gov.? [VICES] Religious--memorial and remonstrations against Religious assessments. Adam Smith's "Wealth of Nations," Madison and WASH 1st speech. Patrick Henry, Senate, House--Gerrymander, Federalist, Anti-federalist. Notes and underlinings: Nation founded on quiet work of thinking and reading, built upon centuries of Western history--republicanism, a collaboration. James Madison's research project. A story that Americans ought to keep telling themselves as long as the nation it helped to form may last. James Madison, 4th US president. Montpelier, Orange County, Virginia. Madison a scholar, not a great president. 1785 wrote best defense of religious liberty. Virginia plan shaped US Constitution. Gave credit to tutor Donald Robertson, a Scotsman and Anglican clergyman, for the man he became. Jefferson--not have much of a sense of humor. 60 year political career. Chose public life, stuck to it. General Assembly --declined to supply free liquor expected by voters--lost seat. 1781 last state ratified the Articles of Confederation. Madison, short, shy--most Virginia compatriots were tall for the time--and sickly/hypochondriacal. Best prepared/most well read of participants in political events. French Revolution--lack of practical political experience in general, republican political experience in particular. Madison, Adamses, Thomas Jefferson, James Otis, Peyton Randolph, John Dickinson, Roger Sherman--virtually all of the framers and most of the American founders had experience in legislative bodies. Dealing humanely with humans holding other than the "right" view important. Legislature--place that republican ethos built into one's spiritual formation. Religious arrangements, January 1786. 2nd memorandum--"Vices of the political system of the U. States." Articles of Confederation--1781. Forming of state governments--Americans' first try at republican government. Madison was discriminate, specific, analytical--unlike most revolutionaries. Chief vice of confederacy--no strength at the center. 13 clocks would never again strike at the same time. Madison ready to support constitution for union that would be "Supreme Law of the land." Shays Rebellion. Republican theory--majority should rule, but a 1/3 minority, with military skills/pecuniary resources--overmatch for 2/3 majority. Every state must have republican form of government. A majority might overturn a majority. Madison did not raise issue of women. Where slavery exists, republican theory more fallacious. Slaves and non-freeholders= 3/4 of the State. The power is 1/4. Madison's faulting of governments--confined to private misgivings, not made public. Men seek appointment as representatives: 1. ambition 2. personal interest 3. public good. Most important cause of unjust laws not ambitious/perfidious representatives, but people themselves. Will two thousand in a like situation be less likely to encroach on rights of one thousand? Even more likely to encroach on rights of minority as numbers increase. Madison's view of humankind not uniformly pessimistic, but mixed. Machiavelli/Hobbes. Machiavelli--different republican than Madison. Machiavelli's repute rests in insistence that the Prince must remain in power. For Madison, issue was survival of republican order. Vices--selfishness, narrowness, power-grabbing of humans in politics. Notes oppression of race based slavery. Greatest essay--Federalist 10. The Great Compromise--small states v. large states. 2 May 1787 left Philadelphia, 5 May arrives in Philadelphia--1st delegate to arrive. Virginia plan. George Washington, age 55; George Mason, age 62; George Wythe, age 61; James Madison, age 36. Alexander Hamilton, came, gave one long early speech and left. Benjamin Franklin, age 81. Patrick Henry stayed home as did Richard Henry Lee, Samuel Adams, Thomas Paine. James Wilson of PA, there, but ignored by history. Wilson immigrant from Scotland at age 24, in 1765--leading legal theorist in American states. Americans have powers over themselves as ruler/ruled. Wilson/Madison most distinguished political thinkers at convention--advocates of strong national government. Madison kept record of his work--almost killed him. Tried to keep it objective. 8 others also took notes. Presentation of Virginia Plan. Small states--William Paterson. State identity. VA Plan--bicameral, second house selected by the first. American government wiping away old divisions--kings, nobles, priests, estates, orders, Lords Spiritual/Lords Temporal. Obvious compromise--one house proportional, one house by states. VA ten times the population of Delaware--740,000 to 74,000 counting slaves--440,000 v. 46,000 for free whites. Bigness of states was not unifying principle--likely division= free v. slave. Luther Martin of MD 3 hour speech--possibly drunk. Small vs. Big States--no test on slavery. Madison/Wilson republican principle= equality of individuals not equality of states. No executive. NY no delegation, no vote; New Hampshire not arrived; Rhode Island never showed--10 states made decision. Madison, Great Compromise a mistake. Madison--most theologically knowledgeable president. Religion in Constitution--negation, silence, exclusion, inference. Madison attended every session, spoke regularly--161 times, more than any other delegate. Central government should be strong. 1825 admirer called him "Father of Constitution"--Madison declined. Alexander Hamilton, most brilliant of founders. Independent Journal. Jay ten years older than Hamilton, six years older than Madison. Federalist 54, 12 Feb., 1788 3/5 ratio--states assigned representatives--major grievance of free states towards slave states. 1820 Census--2 free states 64 representatives, 8 slave states with larger population--100 members. 3/5ths slaves. Twisted moral-political position Madison had to defend; deplored slavery. Used "fake" Southern as rhetorical device. 118 slaves at Montpelier--largest slave-owner in Orange County. Jefferson said that fight over religious liberty in VA, most severe contest in which he ever engaged. American Colonization Society--Liberia. Henry Clay, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Madison. 1. Union prior to/superior to states; 2. slavery contradiction to nation's meaning; 3. Black Americans rights equal to all other Americans. George Wythe, Socrates of Virginia. Milton Friedman--shared Adam Smith's skepticism about those who affect to trade for the public good. Madison pluralistic concept of republican politics--factions reflecting various interests--checking each other--protection from majority tyranny. Like Reinhold Niebuhr--man's capacity for justice makes democracy possible, man's inclination toward injustice makes democracy necessary. Press. Checks and balances. Madison drafted Washington's 30 April address to Congress. 1789 Madison leading House of Representatives--which was leading the Senate and the government. Madison speeches in support of the Bill of Rights. Lost Amendment.

Subject

"Madison, James, 1751-1836--Political and social views."

"Constitutional history--United States."

"Political science--United States--History--18th century."

Relation

Original Booknotes interview

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