he was willing to do at this crisis, if need be,
though he said it would be at the sacrifice of every private
inclination, and of the rule which hitherto from the beginning of his
public career he had strictly adhered to,--never to ask, directly or
indirectly, for votes for himself.

It is quite possible, even quite probable, that Mr. Madison had little
of that gift which has always passed for eloquence, and is, indeed,
eloquence of a certain kind. If we may trust the reports of his
contemporaries, though he wanted some of the graces of oratory, he was
not wanting in the power of winning and convincing. His arguments were
often, if not always, prepared with care. If there was no play of fancy,
there was no forgetfulness of facts. If there was lack of imagination,
there was none of historical illustration, when the subject admitted it.
If manner was forgotten, method was not. His aim was to prove and to
hold fast; to make the wrong clear, and to put the right in its place;
to appeal to reason, not to passion, nor to prejudice; to try his cause
by the light of clear logic, hard facts, and sound learning; to convince
his hearers of the truth, as he believed in it, not to take their
judgment captive by surprise with harmonious modulation and grace of
movement. Not his neighbors only, but the most zealous of the
Federalists of the State, sent him to the convention. It was there that
such eloquence as he possessed was peculiarly needed. The ground was to
be fought over inch by inch, and with antagonists whom it would be
difficult, if not impossible, to beat. There was to be contest over
every word of the Constitution from its first to its last. "Give me
leave," cried Patrick Henry in his opening speech, "to demand what right
had they to say 'We the people' instead of 'We the States'?" He began at
the beginning. It was the gage of the coming battle; the defenders were
challenged to show that any better union than that already in existence
was needed, and that in this new Constitution a better union was
furnished.

As month after month passed away while the Constitution was before the
people for adoption, the anxiety of the Federalists grew, lest the
requisite nine States should not give their assent. But when eight were
secured there was room to hope even for unanimity, if Virginia should
come in as the ninth. Should she say Yes, the Union might be perfect;
for the remaining States would be almost sure to follow her lead. Bu