James Madison: Virginia Resolutions

( 1798 ) Commentary by John R. Vile, Middle Tennessee State University

James Madison was a quiet speaker whom others often had to strain to hear, but his writings were known for their logical rigor and clarity. Madison was rarely willing to compromise vital principles, and his advocacy of a Constitution that embodied some compromises that he had opposed, as well as his work on behalf of a bill of rights that he did not initially consider to be necessary, demonstrated that he could be flexible in pursuit of higher principles. When he proposed a bill of rights to the House of Representatives, Madison recognized that the amendments might serve as a rallying point for state governments. He secretely wrote the Virginia Resolutions to aid the state in challenging violations to the Constitution.

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James Madison (Library of Congress)

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James Madison: Virginia Resolutions

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