Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1837-01-24
Madison, contains the following provision !:

Convention at Philadelphia, in 1857, the
characters who composed l., The Constiiu.
ton which resulted from their deliberations,
lis effects during tri;h of so many wears
on the prosperity ofthe People living under
it, and the interest it has inspired amongthe
friends of free government, it is not an E.uns
reasonable inference that q careful and ex-
tended report of the proceedings and dis.
cussions of that body, which werezwth
closed doors, by member who was con.
slant in hts attendance, will be particularly
gratifying TO the People ofthe UniedS ates,
and to all who take an interest in the pro.
gross of political science and the cause of
true liberty"
This provision bears evidence oftl,eyalue
he set on his Report of the Debates in the
Convention; and he has charged legncies on
them alone, to the amount of $4,000, for
the benefit Of literary institutions and for
benevolent purposes, leaving the residuary
ntts proceeds for the use of his widow. @
In paper written by him, and which 1t
is proposed to annex as a.preface o the
Debates, he traces the formation Of Coined.
eracies and ofthe Articles Of Conf.dera' ION.
its defcc:s which caused and the steps which
led to the Convention, his reasons for 70.
king the debates, and the manner in which
he executed the tusk, and his sopinion ofthe
trainers of the TCons luton. Fromt thissd
extract his description of the irrlissnsr In
which they wt,s taken, as it guarantiesfheir
fulness and accuracy. - SSss-ssst
ain pursuance of the task had assuded,
chose scat in front ofthe presiding sness-
Der, with the other members on my rightasn
left hands. In this favorable positions Tor
hearing all that passed, noted dawn IN
terms legible, and in abbreviations and
marks Ineligible 10 myself what was read
from the Char, or spoken by the members;
and losing not amoment unnecessarily be.
tween the adjournment and re-assembliDg
of the Convention, was enabled feswrite
out my daily notes during the session, or
within few finishing days aftersi's close,
in the extent and form preserved ~ my
own hand, on my flies. Y s.'ez, ~ ;
"In the labor and correctness Of thissl
was not a little aided BY practice, and my
familiarity with the style and the train Of OBJ
servat;on and reasoning which characscrized
the principal speakers. 1t harpened, aiso,
that | was not absent a single day, nor more
than the casual fraction of an hour in any
day, so that could not have lost single
speech, unless very shorpne.' 4 s.
However prevailing the restraint wbi.h
veiIed, during the iilc Of Nh. Madison, this
record of the creation Of our Constitu6oa,
the grave which has closed over all those
who participated in its formation has Sc
parated their acts from all that is personal
10 him or 10 them. His anxiety for their
early publicity after this was removed, may
be inferred from his having them ffanscfi-
bed and revised by himself; and, L may be
added, the known wishes Of Ills illustriot,s
friend, Thomas Jefferson, and o.iseF distin.
glishcd patriots, the important lightsshey
would shed for present as well as future use.
fulness, besides my desire to fulfil the Pc
cuniary obliga ions imposed by his viii, us-
god their appearance, without awaiiiDg the
preparation Of his other works and early
measures were accordingly adopted by me
to ascertain from publishers in various Par's
of the Union the terms on which their pub
licalion could be effected.
1t was also intended to publish with these
Debates those taken by him in the Congress
ofthe Confederation in 1882, 9, and =, Of
which he was thena member, and selections
made by himself, and prepared under his
eye, from his letters nafrafing the proceed
ings Of that body during the periods Of Ms
service in il, prefxing the Debates nj I779
on the Declaration Of Independence, by
| Thomas Jefferson, SO as to oembody All fhe
| memorials in that shape known to exisr.
This expose ofthc situation of the country
under the Confederation, and the defects of
the old system Of Government evidenceisln
the proceedings under. It, seem toconyey
such preceding information ns shorld ac-
company the Debates on the foardticn OF
the Consd:ttion by whichit was superse.
ded. % t'' . - e = - -
The proposals which have been received,
SO far from corresponding with the eypecta.
tions of Mr.. Madison when he charged the
first of the works with those legacss have
evidence that their publication couid no: be
engaged in by me, without advancts of
funds, and involving of risks which I am
| not in situation to make or incur.
Under these circumstancesst have been
induced to submit for your consideration
whether the publication of these Debatesbe
q matter of sufficient interest to the People
of the United States to deserve to be brought
to the notice of Congress. And sho,id such
be the estimation Of the mili'y OF these
works by the Representatives Of the potion
as to induce them to relieve one individually
from the obstacles which impede It, their
gencrul circulation will be ensured, and the
4 People be remuncrated by its more econo.
| 80 .-tc etr.- =