The broad ax., 1898-03-19

M.HIoNA ML1 kuCM IL hl4 4n4L ~
second year, and Miss Floyd, Who
vas very beautiful and aec0mp-
lished, was JUST sixteen.
This vas the first great disap-
pcintment in the young statesman's
life: but after perusing . consoling
letter which he received from his
friend, the iIlustrions Thomas JEFF
ferson, he gathered up the shat
tered fragments OF his heart and
became reconciled to his fate.
We viii review very briefly his
career after returning to Virginia.
In the year 1854, he was selected
70 represent his county In
the Virginia assembly; and in
1856 he was again elected as a
delegate to the Continental Con-
gress, where he soon forged to the
front IS the great leader of that
body, for he has been designated as
the sFather of the Constitution. "
for the principal articles of the
confederation are the production
of Mr.. Madison.
Within one week after the con-
stitution was perfected, he again
returned to Virginia, and labored
necessarily with bis friends and the
people throughout his state, to
ratify the constitution, and he
threw his wonderful personality
into the great political struggle
and crisis which was then confront
ing the American people; and he
brushed aside With a long sweep of
his right arm, all of the objections
of Patrick Henry, George Mason,
Edmund Randolph and Mr.. Lee,
and every foot of the soil of Vir-
ginia was fought over, inch by
inch, by those who were In favor
and by those who were opposed to
the adoption of the Constitution.
The immortal Patrick Henry ex-
claimed in his opening speech
against it: "What right had they
to say, I'VE, the people, instead of
eve, the states;'p but when the
final result was announced, Patrick
Henry and all of the other oppon-
ents to it (the Constitution went
down in an inglorious defeat, and
Mr.. Madison and the Constitution
were endorsed by the people.
Upon receiving the congratula-
tious of his friends, he again re-
turned to his duties In Congress,
and assisted in perfecting all neces-
sary arrangements for the inaugn-
ration of President George WASH
ington and Vice-President John
Adams.
We have not the time to
allude to all of the measures
which he championed; but suffice it
to say that his voice was raised in
behalf of all legislation which
would rebound to the benefit of
the Republic.
But there was one proposition
which he was utterly incapable of
reasoning out to Its logical dedue-
ton, namely slavery. From a.
moral standp, iptsossph Letter. Who .
was ahsQf that his whssss Is s6Io1SnTsbf roffr III
Sxsr, a Ok ne enoeen
sosn iafs CIV wrong to subject the
negro to a condition of seryitude,
vet he could not devise or suggest
sny vay whereby it could be
abolished. Il had never occurred
to him that slavery tended TO dis
courage arts and manufactures and
other enterprises, and that labor Is
despised by the poor when 1t Is
performed By Slaves, aid that It
produced the most pernicious Ell
fects on manners.
Mr.. Madison was unlike Thomas
Jefferson respecting the institution
Of slavery. The author of the De.
claration of Independence exerted
himself in every way, IN order to
alleviate the misery and suffering
which followed IN the path OF
slavery. On three separate and
distinct occasions Mr.. Jefferson
introduced measures into the House
of Burgess and the assembly Tor
the adjustment of slavery, and ON
one occasion he came within one
vote Of passing his measure. which
WAS intended to confer freedom
upon the negro.
According to Mr.. Bancroft, the
eminent historian, James Madison
vas the owner Of over one hundred
slaves. But unlike many other slave
holders. he was q kind and con-
siderate master, and he never
abused them himself, neither did
he allow his overeer TO do It. Il
they we're At fault he gently re-
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