Becoming Madison by Michael Signer

Author:Michael Signer [Signer, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781610392969
Publisher: PublicAffairs

ON MARCH 5, JOHN MARSHALL TOLD MADISON THAT HENRY, WHOSE “opinions have their usual influence,” was preparing for war against the new Constitution. He was publicly threatening that he would leave the confederation before relinquishing any navigation of the Mississippi.29 It was absolutely crucial to Henry that Virginia be able to unilaterally control the country’s most important river and all the trade and commerce that came along with it. Many also suspected Henry had commercial interests in the region that were the real root of his passion. Randolph predicted that Henry would only support a “negative with some emphasis” on the idea.30 In late March, when it became clear to many that Henry’s concerns were overblown and speculative, because there was no general intent among the Federalists to yield the Mississippi, the damage was already done. Madison angrily predicted to Jefferson that Henry’s implacable disgust, which “exceeded all measure,” would create “very serious” consequences.31

With such wreckage strewn around him, Henry loomed ever larger. In March, Madison learned that Henry had “positively declined” to attend the convention. By boycotting, Madison suspected Henry intended to “leave his conduct unfettered on another theatre.” Unsullied by his personal participation in what he saw as a corrupt conclave, Henry would remain pure in assailing the product of Philadelphia. The convention, Madison darkly predicted, could “receive its destiny from his omnipotence.”32

Meanwhile, however, Henry was suffering in his own right. Short on cash, he was being hounded by his creditors.33 Those troubles did not diminish his fury against the Federalists—perhaps they even aggravated it.

Madison kept his promise to himself and redoubled his ambitions for the convention. He wrote Jefferson a long letter praising the “political experiment” the nation was about to enter. The principle that must tower “Over & above” all else, he said, was the need to give the federal government “a negative in all cases whatsoever” on the states. Arrayed around that coercive authority, the other elements would fall into place. The nation would be protected from invasion, the states prevented from “thwarting and molesting each other,” and minorities insulated from “unrighteous measures which favor the interest of the majority.”34

The only piece missing was a statesman to drive the scheme home.

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