CHAPTER VI.
WAR FEELING OF 1811.
Mr. James Madison seems to have been one of the many great Americans
capable of changing his political views without losing public favor. Mr.
Madison, as a delegate to the constitutional convention held at
Philadelphia in May, 1787, was beyond question a Federalist. Of the
convention, a writer of the highest authority says:
"Mr. Madison was prominent in advocating the constitution, and took a
leading part in the debates, of which he kept private notes, since
published by order of congress. His views in regard to the federal
government are set forth at length in a paper still extant in the
handwriting of Gen. Washington. This paper contains the substance of a
letter written to Washington by Mr. Madison before the meeting of the
convention, and proposes a scheme of thorough centralization. The writer
declares that he is equally opposed to the individual independence of
the States and to 'the consolidation of the whole in one simple
republic.' He is nevertheless in favor of investing congress with power
to exercise a negative in all cases whatever on the legislative acts of
the States, as heretofore exercised by the kingly prerogative. He says
further that the right of coercion should be expressly declared; but the
difficulty and awkwardness of operating by force on the collective will
of a State render it particularly desirable that the necessity of it
should be precluded.
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