Table of Contents ALSO BY RICHARD BROOKHISER: Title Page Dedication A NOTE ON SPELLING AND USAGE Acknowledgments Introduction CHAPTER CHAPTER CHAPTER CHAPTER CHAPTER CHAPTER CHAPTER CHAPTER CHAPTER CHAPTER CHAPTER ONE - Youth, Revolution TWO - The Constitution THREE - The Federalist, The Bill of Rights FOUR - The First Political Party FIVE - Leading an Opposition SIX - Wilderness Years SEVEN - In Power EIGHT - Problems of Power NINE - President TEN - War Leader ELEVEN - Retirement, Death EPILOGUE NOTES BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX Copyright Page ALSO BY RICHARD BROOKHISER: Right Time, Right Place George Washington On Leadership What Would the Founders Do? Gentleman Revolutionary: Gouverneur Morris— The Rake Who Wrote the Constitution America’s First Dynasty: The Adamses 1735–1918 Alexander Hamilton, American Rules of Civility Founding Father: Rediscovering George Washington Way of the WASP The Outside Story FOR Bert and Nina Smiley A NOTE ON SPELLING AND USAGE Eighteenth-century writing had somewhat different rules than today’s, and even the well educated followed them rather loosely Proper names were often spelled whimsically In his notes on the Constitutional Convention, Madison wrote of Govurneur (Gouverneur) Morris, Oliver Elseworth (Ellsworth), and Roger Sharman (Sherman) William Pierce, meanwhile, wrote of Mr Maddison All spelling and punctuation have been modernized in what follows American presidents in Madison’s lifetime sent “ministers” abroad, not “ambassadors,” and picked “secretaries of departments,” not a “cabinet.” The newest capital of the United States was called “Washington City,” not “Washington.” I have sometimes preferred anachronism to quaintness The Republican Party that Jefferson and Madison founded is the ancestor of today’s Democrats; the modern GOP is a different, later organization ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Michael C Quinn, president of the Montpelier Foundation, and all his colleagues have been of great help Michael Pack and Tracy Simmons gave me good advice The generosity of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation helped me complete this book Akhil Amar, Michael Pack, and Tracy Simmons gave good suggestions and advice I would like to thank my editor, Lara Heimert, my agent, Michael Carlisle, and my wife, Jeanne Safer The Invisibles Irving, Washington Jackson, Andrew defends New Orleans against British elected president (1828) enforces Tariff of 1826, exterminates Creek Indians Jackson, Francis James Jackson, John G Jackson, William Jay, John arranges U.S.–Britain treaty (1794) as first chief justice of Supreme Court as minister to Madrid writes Federalist papers Jay’s Treaty Jefferson, Martha Jefferson, Thomas conflicts with Hamilton writes religious freedom bill on generational autonomy as Washington’s secretary of state on French Revolution friendship, collaborations, with JM as president (1801–1809) revises diplomatic protocol and nullification on state–federal conflicts replaces capital’s burned library establishes University of Virginia in retirement death and legacy Jenifer, Daniel of St Thomas Jennings, Paul helps evacuate White House as JM’s manservant sold to, freed by, Daniel Webster Jonathan and Mary Bull parable (Madison) Jones, Joseph Journalism and journalists attacked for going too far convicted under Sedition Act and Hamilton’s adultery scandal and JM’s defense of press freedom Republican–Federalist battles as salacious, hysterical Kentucky Resolutions Key, Francis Scott King, Rufus against extending slavery as Federalist president candidate (1816) possible president pro tem as senator from New York as vice president candidate (1804, 1808) Lafayette, Marquis de criticizes slavery flees France and French Revolution friendship with JM Lansing, John as anti-Federalist defects from Convention disappears Latrobe, Benjamin Henry Leclerc, Victor Emmanuel Leib, Michael L’Enfant, Pierre Liberia Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln, Levi Livingston, Edward Livingston, Robert allied with G Clinton, Burr, Jefferson, JM as ambassador in Paris and Louisiana Purchase Louis XVI, king of France Louisiana Purchase Louisiana Territory army takes Florida diffusion strategy for slavery Missouri admitted as slave state Lycian confederacy Lyon, Matthew Maclay, William Maddison, John (patriarch) Madison, Ambrose (brother) Madison, Ambrose (grandfather) Madison, Dolley Payne Todd (wife) background courtship and marriage evacuates White House as hostess for President Jefferson as political wife Stuart’s portrait in retirement life after JM’s death Madison, Francis (brother) Madison, James background Revolution, post-Revolution, years influences Virginia plan creates Republican Party Madison, James (continued) as leader, founder, of U.S politics marriage to Dolley presidential elections (1808, 1812) on slavery, union of states and War of 1812, retirement death of Madison, James, Sr (father) Madison, Nelly Conway (mother) Madison, William (brother) Magna Carta Maine admitted as free state Majority rule Manumission and diffusion strategy for slaves freed blacks in Illinois practiced by certain founders practiced by Quakers Marshall, John on mission to French Directory supports ratifying Constitution as Supreme Court chief justice Martineau, Harriet Mason, George as anti-Constitution on Constitutional Convention slate writes Virginia’s Declaration of Rights McCulloch, James McHenry, James “A Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments” essay (Madison) Merry, Anthony Missouri statehood Mitchill, Samuel Monroe, James as anti-Constitution opposes JM for Congress seat coordinates effort to replace John Adams challenges JM’s presidential bid settles Louisiana Purchase Pinkney treaty refused by administration and British march on capital (1814) as JM’s secretary of state and war elected president (1816) death of Montesquieu classifications of governments on proportional representation on small republics Montpelier plantation with Dolley as mistress early days remodeled Morris, Gouverneur on Dolley Madison on fall of Federalists and French Revolution as influential draftsman of Constitution on Monroe and Louisiana Purchase on new capital in Washington on slavery–liberty paradox on Virginians’ domination Morris, Robert Napoleonic France See France National bank bill of 1791, National Gazette newspaper attacked by Hamilton JM’s essays as pro-French Revolution (1792) represents Republican Party Navy Department, United States and British armada in Chesapeake Bay unprepared for war under P Hamilton under William Jones Neo-Federalism of Madison administration New Hampshire New Jersey plan New Orleans closed to trade by France invaded by British (1814–1815) See also Louisiana Purchase; Louisiana Territory Non-Intercourse Act of 1808 bans trade with all but neutral nations Cadore letter leads to imposition on Britain slashes tariff receipts North American Review journal Nullification by states of acts “Of Ancient and Modern Confederacies” essay (Madison) Orders in Council false negotiations with U.S non-intercourse imposed on Britain as grievance in JM’s war message repealed by new British government Pacificus (pen name of Hamilton) Paine, Thomas Pakenham, Edward Pamphleteering See Journalism and journalists Paterson, William Patronage Patterson, Elizabeth Paulding, James Payne, Dolley See Madison, Dolley Payne Todd Payne, John Payne, Mary Coles Pendleton, Edmund Perceval, Spencer Perry, Oliver Hazard Philadelphia convention See Constitutional Convention Pichon, Louis André Pickering, Timothy fired by John Adams plots Federalist secession Pierce, William Pinckney, Charles signs Constitution as South Carolinian and Virginia Plan Pinckney, Charles Coatesworth on mission to French Directory as president candidate (1804, 1808) as vice-presidential candidate (1800) Pinckney, Thomas Pinkney, William calls for sedition law –Monroe treaty refused by administration Political parties and politics destructiveness of Hamilton scandal as factions JM as coalition builder led by, founded by, JM and Missouri question of sectionalism and mob violence See also Federalists; Republican Party Pope, Alexander Potomac River Company Presidency first contested election powers under new Constitution succession becomes issue See also Washington, George Priestley, Joseph Princeton College of New Jersey Property distribution Public opinion as expression of populism for government–society interplay guarantees liberty as judge of constitutionality as media campaign as sovereign Publius (pen name of Hamilton, Jay, JM) used for Constitution media campaign Quakers Randolph, Edmund at Annapolis Convention (1786) as attorney general as author of Virginia plan on Democratic Societies refuses to sign, then supports, Constitution slated for Constitutional Convention suspected of secret dealings with France Randolph, John as anti-Jefferson, anti-JM objects to Florida–France–Spain maneuver reacts to Chesapeake submission and Yazoo real estate deal Randolph, Thomas Mann Ratification of the Constitution by Maryland by Massachusetts New York convention political machinations by South Carolina Virginia convention Religious liberty Anglican persecution of Virginia’s Baptists JM’s position politics of subsidizing religion in Virginia shifts from toleration to human nature supported by Jefferson’s bill in Virginia Report on Manufactures (Hamilton) Report on Public Credit (Hamilton) Report on the Alien and Sedition Acts (Madison) defends Virginia Resolutions doctrine of interposition used to refuse purchase of JM’s notes Republican Party founded by JM dissension in Gallatin’s leadership named platform of JM sweeps 1800, 1804, elections with Virginia, New York, as partners renamed Democratic Party See also Political parties Republicanism antimilitarism critiqued/counterargued French Revolution seen as shared cause of majority rule created by Virginia plan position papers rebuked in Washington’s farewell address social etiquette, pêle-mêle threatened by prospect of monarchy Reynolds, James Richmond Recorder newspaper Rights of Man (Paine) Robertson, David Robertson, Donald Roland, Jean-Marie Ross, Robert Rule of 1756, Rush, Benjamin Rush, Richard and British march on capital (1814) on JM after war declaration Rutledge, John Scott, Winfield Secession Federalist plot led by Timothy Pickering (1804) threatened by Hartford Convention (1814) threatened by South Carolina nullifiers (1832) Sedition Act about convictions declared unconstitutional by Virginia Resolutions enforced by Federalists refused by JM Senate of the United States balanced with free and slaveholding states censures Democratic Societies as federal system partisan votes on war ratifies Jay’s Treaty secretly ratifies Treaty of Ghent with treaty powers shared with president votes on Bank of the U.S Serurier, Jean Sherman, Roger Sierra Leone The Signing of the Constitution painting (Christy) Slavery bondage–liberty paradox criticized by Franklin diffusion strategy JM’s perspectives P Henry warns against abolition in wartime slaves counted as three-fifths of a person as small-state, large-state issue vs free statehood for new states See also Manumission Smith, Robert hired, fired, as JM’s secretary of state as Jefferson’s secretary of navy turns against JM Smith, Samuel as Baltimore congressman defends Baltimore against British invasion leads Senate Republican faction Society for Promoting the Manumission of Slaves Society of the Cincinnati South Carolina attempts nullification and constitutional slavery issue ratifies Constitution Spaight, Richard Dobbs Spain allows Mississippi navigation forced to give Louisiana to Napoleon resists Florida negotiations Florida Panhandle taken by JM St Domingo States’ rights and sovereignty advocated by Patrick Henry consequences of with equal representation in Congress revised by Virginia Plan Story, Joseph Stuart, Gilbert “Summary View of the Rights of British North America” paper (Jefferson) Supreme Court, United States Jay as chief justice Marshall as chief justice Talleyrand Tariff of 1828 battle Taxation by Britain, pre-Revolution deferred until war declared as optional for states under Articles rebellions against on whiskey passed (1814) Tecumseh Tenskatawa Three-fifths rule Todd, Dolley Payne See Madison, Dolley Payne Todd Todd, John Payne (son of Dolley Madison) Toussaint-Louverture Trade policy banning of Britain, France (Non-Intercourse Act) embargo against sailing to foreign countries embargo repealed by Congress, Jefferson Macon’s bill (1810) Transportation network Treasury Department, United States assumption of debts proposed Bank of U.S (first) Bank of U.S (second) with Hamilton as first secretary Treaty of Ghent Treaty of San Ildefonso Trist, Nicholas Troup, Robert Turreau, Louis Marie Union and shortcomings of the Articles as bulwark against slavery issue threatened by sectional strife threatened by Tariff of 1828, valued as much as liberty University of Virginia “Vices of the Political System of the United States” essay (Madison) Virginia Assembly of 1776, Virginia Convention See Virginia Assembly of 1776 Virginia Declaration of Rights Virginia Dynasty Virginia Governor’s Council Virginia plan Virginia ratifying convention Virginia Resolutions defended by Alien and Sedition Acts report doctrine of interposition and Hartford Convention as Republican position papers Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom Wagner, Jacob Walsh, Robert War Department, United States under Armstrong under Eustis, unprepared for war War of 1812 British burn capital Detroit falls to British failed U.S arms, commands justifications, grievances, against Britain as second war of independence U.S victory at Lake Erie U.S.–Britain sign Treaty of Ghent Washington, D.C See Capital of the United States Washington, George approves Constitution as first president under Constitution calls up militia to quell Whiskey Rebellion declares U.S neutral in French conflicts fails to threaten Congress for veterans’ backpay with JM as partner, ghostwriter friendship with JM ends Farewell Address in retirement, commands army death of Webster, Daniel Wellington, Duke of West Indies Western expansion See Expansionism Whiskey Rebellion White House construction under JM and Dolley JM’s family lives with Jefferson burned by British (1814) Wilson, James Winder, William Witherspoon, John Wren, Christopher Wythe, George XYZ affair Yates, Robert as anti-Constitution defects from convention notes (published posthumously) See also Brutus Yazoo real estate deal Yellow fever epidemic of 1793 The name did not come until the 1790s, and Madison always spelled it with two L’s He already knew Latin, Greek, French, and Italian The assembly chose the governor The statue stands in the rotunda of the state capitol in Richmond South Carolina, which had helped give birth to the measure, voted against it in a last-ditch effort to have slaves counted equally with free inhabitants John Dickinson, who had gone home sick, asked a colleague to sign for him Douglass Adair sorted through the competing claims of authors and their partisans, deciding that Hamilton wrote fifty-one papers, Madison twenty-nine, and Jay five Computer analysis of stylistic traits seems to confirm this count Yet #63, Madison’s twenty-ninth, sounds like Hamilton to me—the insistent use of “I,” a certain dark, relentless tone Surely Henry meant to say “living in the midst of splendor and dissipation.” See also #10 M 164 and #53 M 308 10 The party still exists, though they call themselves Democrats The modern Republican Party is a newer, different organization 11 Gallatin guessed 9,000, out of 24,000 sailors on American vessels overall, were British 12 He had replaced Anthony Merry in 1806 13 He had taken this post in February 14 Which still stands, with an added third story and a porch on H Street, at the northwest corner of Lafayette Square Copyright © 2011 by Richard Brookhiser Published by Basic Books, A Member of the Perseus Books Group All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews For information, address Basic Books, 387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 100168810 Books published by Basic Books are available at special discounts for bulk purchases in the United States by corporations, institutions, and other organizations For more information, please contact the Special Markets Department at the Perseus Books Group, 2300 Chestnut Street, Suite 200, Philadelphia, PA 19103, or call (800) 810-4145, ext 5000, or e-mail special.markets@perseusbooks.com A CIP catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress eISBN : 978-0-465-02799-6 ... countries to mishandling his own associates We pay much less attention to James Madison, Father of Politics, than to James Madison, Father of the Constitution That is because politics embarrasses... knew which Madison was which In 1775, when Orange County rallied its militia to resist Virginia’s colonial overlords, both Madisons became colonels (James Sr organized the militia and James Jr... of Nelly Conway Madison is that she raised her children and lived at Montpelier a very long time She was nineteen when she bore James Jr.; she lived to be ninety-seven When James Madison was a