The Irish standard., 1907-11-30
JAMES MADISON, STATESMAN.

JAMES MADISON, STATESMAN.
1t is probable that the announcement
of President Roosevelt to make what
is called a Thanksgiving Day pilgrims
age to Montpelier, Virginia has not
started many people to studying the
life of the really great statesman who
once lived there. The American peo-
pie are somewhat familiar with Mount
Vernon and the Hermitage near Nash
vile, Tennessee. but to very few does
Montpelier. Virginia. suggest any
thoughts of the past. Even President
Roosevelt, with all his popularity. his
undoubted activity and his great abil-
ity. can afford to pay homage to the
memory of the man who was beyond
doubt the most learned who ever oc-
cupied the presidential chair. Mont
pelier was the home of James Madi-
son, fourth president of the United
States, concerning whose life Ameri-
cans of the present day should know
more than they do.
James Madison was a good man and
really great statesman. He was th,
one man, if we except Thomas Jeffer-
son, who ever became president who
made of statecraft a study. Even the
achievements of Jefferson were largely
due to the guiding hand of James
Madison, who was through Jefferson's
two terms, secretary of state. There
are many reasons why we should think
now of James Madison, but one above
others suggests itself. James Madison
was the first man who made a stand
and fight against the system of con-
trolling AmeHcan elections by the use
of money and what money will buy.
1t is related of him that when he was
a candidate for the Virginia assembly
in 1777 he refused to allow even a. sin
gle drink to be purchased to influence
a. vote for the election of James Mad-
son. He was beaten. Can 1t be that
he foresaw what an evil money would
one day become in American elections =
Perhaps, that is too much to claim for
him but it is true that he is the first
man of national reputation who made
a fight against the evil. And though
defeated at first, he rose from one po-
litical position to another until he
became a, potent factor in the framing
of our Constitutions; .Jeffersons trust
ed advisor, his secretary of state, and
president of the United States, at a
time when great things We're happen
ing. The War of the Revolution gave
birth to the American nation, but it
was not until the War of 1912 in Mad
ison's administration, that it was
known for certain whether the nation
born could live. Madison's admins
tration settled the great questions left
over by the trainers Of the Constitu-
ton. Madison settled the disputes
with England that still remained un-
decided by the Revolutionary War. All
through Washington, Adams. and JEFF
ferson's administrations serious uues-
tions were in dispute. Questions which
Madison dealt with as secretary Of
state. he saw decided when he was
president.
A pilgrimage to Montpelier. Virgin
ia. ought to do Theodore Roosevelt Il
great amount Of good James Madi-
son possessed the great qualities of
good Judgment and equipose, direc-
tion in which our President some time
fails James Madison belonged to thst :
quiet class of statesmen whose work
affects posterity more than it attracts
the plaudits of those who live in their
time. Jefferson received the plaudits
of Madison's party and there arc more
who deny that he merited them. James
Madison, upon whom Jefferson leaned
so heavily. is seldom mentioned. Stu
dents of Constitutional history of the
United States appreciate who Madi-
son was and what he did. The Amer
lean people ought to study the life
and work Of James Madison.