North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1852, 1851-03-12
From Authur's Home Gazette.]
RECOLLECTIONS OF JAMES MADISON.

! BY ARTHUR J. sTANsBURY. 80
! And now approach period where have enjoy
ed more of personal knowledge and observation than
INV situation afforded in regard our earlier Pres-
dents though wish it to be clearly understood that
pretend to or very intimate acquaintance with
anv of them and in these loose and rambling sketches
thrown together without much order, attention to
chronological succession, for the amusement Of now
and then, leisure evening, after the labors of the
day in public Office, profess to do no more than to
tell, as simply as can, what happen to recoiect
when looking back such personal intercourse with
them as fell in my way. Would that Others much
more competent In every respect to the task, and
whose positions brought them into daily contact with
these distinguished men, would preserve for Poster
what lives, at this day, in their memories alone, ana
must be lost forever.
saw Mr.. Madison, for the first time, at Richmond,
where he attended as member of State Conven-
tion assembled in 1922 for the revision of the Con-
sttuton of Virginia. You may imagine the intense
curiosity with which gazed individual so IL
! lusrious. Among crowd Of gentlemen who enter
ed the hall of the old House of Burgesses, in the Ca
pito, where the Convention about to open, saw
one, of lower stature than any Of his compeers, se
der and delicate In form-dressed in suit of black,
not new, and dusty from travel, with hat dis
tnguished by the width of its brm and its total es-
arrangement from the fashionable block of the day;
in aspect grave, yet mild air and carriage perfect
ly simple and unassumng of light, elastic step, and
possessing, altogether, what may be called winn-
ing address. l observed that he was approached by
[ every with an instructive respect, (though not
with chat expression of which was inspired by
Washington and / learned from every mouth,
that it ex-President Madison. Many members
of the Convention then him, like myself, for the
| first time. He looked to like a gentleman far
mer emerging from retirement to give his vote at
some important election, and then PurPosing to re-
| turn home.
He met his friends with courtesy, but with
moved camness of manner, differing, as it seemed
to me, from that warmth and cordially which usual
ly marks the intercourse Of Vignans, and of South
ern people generally. Indeed. were asked to point
| ~ . L ofI III
constitutional organization-l should say it was this
very quality of dignifed camness His tone OF
mind seemed pleasant, cheerful, but totally I'M
disturbed-ever sefpossesseG, self balanced. When
ever met him, afterward, this original impression
remained unalered. He was, in all situations, gen.
tlemanly modest, retring and for distinguished
character, more silent than had expected. He never
assumed the lead in conversation, and appeared al
ways more disposed to listen than to speak. Moth
! ing be conceived more remote from all assumP-
ton and display. During the whole duration of the
Convention, and il sat for sixteen weeks) although
of all present. he best entitled to speak sub
ects such those which occupied that body he spoke
but twice. When he did speak, however the effect
of such retiring merit at once obvious. While
other members of the body, even the most distin-
gushed among the elite of Virginia, were listened to
with respectful attention, but without any special out
ward demonstration of interest, no sooner was Mr..
Madison upon his feet, then there was in moment
simultaneous rush, from every part of the hall;
the ordinary decorum of the body seemed forgotten;
line to the spot, and he at once, completely
hemmed in by the crowd that pressed around to hear,
that his small figure could scarce be seen. There
was, indeed, reason for this movement besides
! the homage which his character commanded.
His voice, strong, then very slender,
even feeble, (he in his seventy-eighth year,
though his enuniciatiOn was perfectly distinct, and
the universal eagerness not to lose syllab that fell
from him may have quickened the effort 10 be
him possible. My professional occupation opened
an avenue TO me, since it my duty to take down
the speech but such was The interest felt, in
mon with all around me, to hear the speech, that it
was with difficulty could prevent my attention from
being drawn from my task, leaving a listener
merely. l have still the MS. notes of that speech,
he last he deliveed) with corrections of it in
his own hand, which keep with religious feeling
of veneration. Connected with it is little anecdote
characteristic in the highest degree of the meekness
OF wisdom which so eminently distinguished the IL
lustrious author of "The Federalist.' When had
finished writing the speech, left it nth him for
his revision Next day, there great call for it,
and the report had not been returned for publication,
sent my son, with respectful: mote, requesting the
MS. My a lad of about sixteen, (whom l
had taken with to act amanuensis,) and on
delivering my note he received with the utmost
politeness, and requested TO up into Mr.. MS
chamber, and wait while he his eye the pa
per as company had till that moment prevented his
attending to it. He did so and Mr. Madison, pen
in hand, sat down to correct the report The lad
stood him, that his eye fell on the paper.
Coming to certain sentence in the speech, Mr.. M.
struck out word, and substituted another: bu hes
ated and feeling quite satisfied with the second
word, drew his pen through it also. My was
young ignorant of the world, and unconscious of the
soecism of which he was about to guilty, when, in
all simplicity, he suggested Uord. Yes; he VEN |
ured, boy that he was, to suggest to James Madison
an improvement in his own speech Probably no
other Individual then living would have taken such
liberty. But the sage, instead Of regarding the intru
sion with frown, raised his eye to the boys face
with pleased SURPRISE and said thank you sir-it is
the very word - and Immediately inserted it. saw
him the day, and he mentioned the circum-
stance, with compliment on the young critic.
l was lorciby struck, while dischargng my daily
duty in the convention, at the department of MIR.
Madison. Punctual and unfailing in his attendance,
he always occupied the same seat and do not think
that in that hall there another individual who
paid uniform and unremitted attention to the pro-
ceedngs of the body. Whoever occupied the floor,
he of at least attentive listener. John
Marshall, himself, did not listen with steadiness
and condescenson to the argument of young MEM
Der of the bar, (and who that young men,
Der there, and did not feel with deepest gratitude that
admirable trait in the character of the great jurist y
than did Mr. Madison to the speeches of every grade,
from men of every cabre, subjects of which none
was so complete master as himself Perhaps the
habit might have been formed when he himself
reporter in the convention which formed the Consli-
tution reporter is listener by profession: he is
attentive par force; and happily, in this in
every other of involuntary and ongcontinued labor,
the back, by merciful provision of Providence, be-
comes fitted to the burJen. He manifested very
kind interest, and some curiosity to my mode of
reporting, often made enquiries on the subject, and
referred, with his accustomed modesty, to his own
labors in the department. g / observe, - said
he to one morning, I" that you often report the L
more important speeches in the first person that is