The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-04-20

fiousc " REPRESENTATIVES, uhuef the new -uhot"u-
lion.
THE series of Debates now published, though
generally condensed into their Substance, are not
without more detailed discussions on particular to-
pics and being, with the exception 81 The debates
10 l716 ON the Declaration OF Independence, and ON
a few of the articles OF the Confederation preserved
BY Mr.. Jefferson, which are also prehxed, The only
known or prob bic materials Of what passed 10 Con-
gress In that oim they CANNOT iail To be particularly
acceptable 10 the public. The perids OF the Dia'y
comprise much that has been least known, and Is oil
| u nature 10 Crafty just curiosity
|. As Mr. Madison was engaged, whilst member
Of the old Congress in regular and oen confidential
corrvspundences with several distinguished friends,
some OF them al that time his absenl colleagues, II
was thought that numbsr OF his letters, nd * RAGS
| from others, In which lie gives information OF what
occurred In Congress, well as what related 10 The
| public affairs generally, might advantageousy make
| 4 part OF this publication Such Of the communica-
| lions as we're contemporary with The Diary III en-
and To The lights which il affords and such as belong
to the periods prior and subsequent 10 IL will often
supply lis place, and sometimes perhaps more than
supply Il.
MI cannot be amiss to remark, that the letters de-
rive value not only from their perfect authenticity
and from The position of the writer as member OF
Congress, but from The consideration that they were
written without thought that they would ever meet
the public eye So entirely absent was such thought
that copies, with an exception, were, or in
| deed, considering their number, the frequency and
the haste OF the letters and the situation Of The wr
ter, could be retained And il was owing to the
Kindness Of his correspondents their representa-
tives that The originals here used make part OF his
files Il Is regretted that some Of those originals
/ were not eff-cually guarded against damage, and
that others appear TO be missing"
i The more important debates of the Convention
which framed the Constitution parlake in no respect
of the imperfectons which must necessarily be ex-
i pected in preliminary volume thus composed OF
historical fragments, which fortunate though acci-
i dental circumstances only enabled their author to
preserve. and which were never intended az portions
OF more perfect and permanent work. Mr. Madi-
son entered upon the duties Of the Convention with
a solemn sense oil respons biiiy 10 his country and
topsterity which controlled all his actions and The
record OF debates which he preserved was the result
OF deliberate and systematic design, originating IN
profound appreciation OF The importance OF The dis
cussions he recorded which looked lar into the iu-
| lute, and beyond the grave Tor reward: Ihese
lab1rs, which viewed with di>lrust BY many,
/ with unconcern or hopeessly by Others and with
doubt and anxiety by all contemporaries he, with
few other trusting spirits as surely saw would be
regarded by poserly with The intensest interest ana
veneration ever accorded 10 the deliberations OF =
public body; anc, unmindiul OF the vexalions ana
anxiees OF The day, the soemn-minded child oi inc
future down TO his task. No hope OF fame, " re-
ward applause OF his fellow citizens cheerea MS
way; but the light ottrulh, ma SLED ~ 'ne suo'e
devcipne M of immortal principles, flashed upon ms
page, a. day after day he urged his noble to ana
lid by bis volumes for Readers lheh UNBORN. ne
generations around we're 100 near 70 aisceIm .isny
The value and importance Of his record In all lis iul
and sublime proportions and, with fath and trust
characteristic Of the man, he kept his work through
all the phases Of long and trying political life, sa-
| cred for its uwner-the posteriy Tor watch II was
| in!ended. We confess there is something noble and
almost touching in the fidelity with which this re-
lance was maintained. How often, during The
course of the last half century, have we not heard
our prominent statesmen Ideally differ In their in
4 depreciation Of the Cons tuition How olien during
that lime have not the inlenuns OF the francis been
mSrepresented or misunderstood How often has
no, every politician, mngiins the party conflicts
pfth lima. IhpI a ipu plit a
| this publication will hereafter Afford How often
have We not seen the parties and par>an> OF the day
interpret wiuneuy, or darkly, or wiiiully, the
thong hits and meaning Ut the past which now be
illustrated and explained beyond the possibility VI
cavil, from work held back IN the deep c m
Sciotsne>s OF lis author that the II ne for n evela.
lion was not come, and thai The impenetrube cur.
tain Of the grave should be nterpo,ed between the
survivor Of IT'S trainers and the mions Of The great
and prosperous nation who looked 10 The Con>litu-
lion and The new system Of government which u
created as the greatest and nobest fruit Of the blood
and toll ot the Revoiuil-ers the proper period Tor
iuly unbosuming The secret proceedings OF that
lime 10 the respectful veneTaiiun u The county
should arrived
the volume Ut Debates, by Mr.. Madison himself will
be found most interesting, aud will satisfy every
mind Of the truth OF The above remarks, and fully
shows how completely he was possessed VI the re-
sponsbiliiy OF his selt-imposed task, and what
thorough confidence may be reposed in advance in
reports prepared under such circumstances BY such
a hand:
"On the arrival of the Virginia deputies at Phladel
phia, It occurred TO them that from the early and pro-
,ninent part taken by that State in bringing about the
Convention, some initiative step might he expected
from them, The resolutions introduced by Governor
Randolph the result Of a consultation the sub.
ject with an understanding that they left all the deputies
entirely open TO the lights Of discussion, and Tree
concur IN any alterations notifications which their
reflections and Judgments might approve. The resolu-
tons as the journals show, became The basis which
the proceedings Of the Congress commenced aud to the
Developments, variations aud notifications Of which
the plan OF government! proposed by the Convention
may be traced.
. The curiosity had felt during my researches into
the history OF the most distinguished conederac es,
particularly those Of antiquity and the deficiency
found IN the meats OF satisfying especially in
what related 10 the process the principles the reasons
and the an,cIpations which prevailed the formation
OF them, determined me TO perservc far as could
an exact account OF what might pass in the Conven-
ton whilst executing its trust, with the magnitude of
which was duly impressed was by the gratitica
ton promised 10 future curiosity by authentic exhbi-
The Objects the opinions and The reasonngs from
which the new system of government was to receive
It's peculiar structure and organization Nor
of the value Of such contribution the fund OF
materials for the history Of Constitution on which
would be saked the happiness OF people great even in
It's infancy, and possibly the Of liberty throughout
the world.
In pursuance OF the task had assumed I chose
seat IN front OF the presiding member with the other
members on my right and left hands In the favo-
Iable position Of hearing all that passed noted
legibe and IN authorizations and terms ineligible to
myself what read from the chair spoken by the
members; and losing not cessarly be-
tween The adjournment and rassembling Of the Con-
venllon, was enabled TO write my daily notes dur
ing tho session. or within few finishing days after It's
close, N The extent and form preserved my own hand
on my files
In the labor and correctness Of this was not a
little aided by practice. and by familiarity with the
style and the tram Of observation and reason which
characterized the principal speakers II happened also
that was not absent a single day, nor more Than