Monday, January 25, 2016

James Madison: “the necessity, of providing more effectually for the security of private rights, and the steady dispensation of Justice. Interferences with these were evils which had more perhaps than any thing else, produced this convention.

The Debates in the Federal Convention, James Madison: “He differed from the member from Connecticut (Mr. Sherman) in thinking the objects mentioned to be all the principal ones that required a National Govt. Those were certainly important and necessary objects; but he combined with them the necessity, of providing more effectually for the security of private rights, and the steady dispensation of Justice. Interferences with these were evils which had more perhaps than any thing else, produced this convention. Was it to be supposed that republican liberty could long exist under the abuses of it practiced in the States.”, June 6, 1787

   Thought it prudent to expand the above with a pertinent quote from Elliot's Debates of the same day. Which has some slight variances from that of Farrand's, which the linked quote above was from:

    "Mr. MADISON considered an election of one branch, at least, of the legislalure by the people immediately, as a clear principle of free government; and that this mode, under proper regulations, had the additional advantage of securing better representatives, as well as of avoiding, to great an agency of the state governments in the general one. He differed from the member from Connecticut, (Mr. Sher- [Pg. 162] man,) in thinking the objects mentioned to be all the principal ones that required a national government. Those were certainly important and necessary objects; but he combined with them the necessity of providing more effectually for the security of private rights, and the steady dispensation of justice. Interferences with these were evils which had, more perhaps than any thing else, produced this Convention. Was it to be supposed, that republican liberty could long exist under the abuses of it practised in some of the states? The gentleman (Mr. Sherman) had admitted that, in a very small state, faction and oppression would prevail. It was to be inferred, then, that wherever these prevailed, the state was too small. Had they not prevailed in the largest as well as the smallest, though less than in the smallest? And were we not thence admonished to enlarge the sphere as far as the nature of the government would admit? This was the only defence against the inconveniences of democracy consistent with the democratic form of government."--James Madison, June 6, 1787, Debates In The Federal Convention Of 1787, Held At Philadelphia. [Eliiot's Debates, Vol. V, Pg. 161-62]

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