tes, since published by
order of congress. His views of a federal government are set forth at
length in a paper still extant in the hand-writing of Washington, which
contains the substance of a letter written to Washington by Madison
before the meeting of the convention, proposing a scheme of thorough
centralization. The writer declares that he is equally opposed to 'the
individual independence of the States,' and to 'the consolidation of the
whole into one simple republic.'

He is nevertheless in favor to invest in congress the power to exercise
'a negative in all cases whatever on the legislative acts of the States,
as heretofore exercised by the kingly prerogative.' He says further
'that the right of coercion should be expressly declared; but the
difficulty and awkwardness of operating by force on the collective will
of a State, render it particularly desirable that the necessity of it
should be precluded.' From these extreme views Madison conscientiously
departed, but in the convention he supported them with zeal and vigor.

The scheme known as the 'Virginia Plan' was adopted instead, and the
convention adjourned. The subsequent adoption of the Constitution was in
a large measure due to a series of essays, now familiar in their
collected form as "The Federalist." They were commenced in a New York
newspaper soon after the adjournment of the Convention, and continued to
appear until June, 1788. The public journals everywhere republished
them, and it was soon known that they were the work of Hamilton,
Madison, and Jay. The volume remains the forcible exposition upon the
side which it espoused. The whole ground is surveyed, generally and in
detail; the various points at issue are discussed with the utmost
acuteness, and the advantages of the adoption of the instrument urged
with logical force and eloquence which place "The Federalist" beside the
most famous political writings of the old English worthies.

The Virginia convention, of which Madison was a member, assembled in
June. He had completely overcome his natural diffidence and, although
deficient as an orator, exerted a powerful influence over his
associates, contributing as much to the final triumph of the
constitution as any one in the body. The instrument was adopted by a
vote of eighty-nine to seventy-nine and the convention closed. The part
which he had taken in its deliberations very greatly increased Madison's
reputation; and he was brought forward as a ca