Forging the American Nation, 1787-1791 : James Madison and the Federalist Revolution

This book presents an original historical-legal analysis of the adoption of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Drawing upon James Madison’s own minutes of the 1787 Convention, it focuses on Madison’s crucial role in shaping a bill of rights that would both reserve the states’ powers and confirm the implied powers doctrine for the federal government. This comprehensive work is indispensable for understanding the origins of the federal system of government and its impact on later developments in the United States. Acknowledgements 7 Contents 9 Abbreviations 11 Introduction 13 1 America’s First Constitution: State Over Nation 19 2 The Road to Philadelphia: Nationalists in Search of Energy and Supremacy 32 3 The Constitutional Convention: Nation Over State Within a Federal Framework 48 Federalizing the National Legislature 50 Federalizing the Choice of a National Executive 56 Senate Advice and Consent 58 4 Delimiting the Scope of National Authority 75 Enumerating Congressional Powers 75 Vetoing the National Legislative Veto 82 Constitutional Flexibility 88 5 Three Dissenting Fathers: The First Salvo in the Antifederalist Campaign 101 6 The Antifederalist Drive to Reinstitute State Over Nation 120 Stage 1: The Constitution Faulted for Lack of a Bill of Rights 121 Stage 2: The Federalist Response 123 Stage 3: The Antifederalist Rejoinder to the Wilsonian Thesis 125 The Absence of an Express Clause Limiting Congress to the Powers Enumerated 126 The Enumeration of Certain Rights in the Constitution 127 Freedom of the Press 129 The Treaty Power 131 The Necessary and Proper Clause Combined with the Supremacy Clause 132 7 Three Ratification Contests: The Fate of the Union in the Balance 141 Massachusetts: “The Conciliatory Resolutions that Saved the Constitution.”1 141 Virginia: “The Battle Royal.” Where Lies Dominion? 148 New York: “Convinced by Circumstances.” Antifederalists Come Face to Face with Reality 157 8 Madison and the Threat of a Second Constitutional Convention 177 9 The Bill of Rights in Congress: Madison’s Race Against Time 193 10 The Tenth Amendment: Nation Over State Preserved 208 11 Postscript: Federalism Tested: Madison v. Marshall and the Antifederalist Revival 218 Madison’s Embrace of Antifederalist Ideology 219 The Tenability of Madison’s Legal Theses 221 The Creation of the Democratic-Republican Party 227 Antifederalists: Co-founders of the Constitution? 231 Marshall’s Federalism, Dual Federalism, and the New Federalism 232 Chronology 241 Appendix 1: The Constitution of The United States of America 1787 245 Appendix 2: The Bill of Rights 255 Outline placeholder 0 Amendments to the US Constitution 255 Bibliography 257 Index 269 Front Matter ....Pages i-xx America’s First Constitution: State Over Nation (Shlomo Slonim)....Pages 1-13 The Road to Philadelphia: Nationalists in Search of Energy and Supremacy (Shlomo Slonim)....Pages 15-30 The Constitutional Convention: Nation Over State Within a Federal Framework (Shlomo Slonim)....Pages 31-57 Delimiting the Scope of National Authority (Shlomo Slonim)....Pages 59-84 Three Dissenting Fathers: The First Salvo in the Antifederalist Campaign (Shlomo Slonim)....Pages 85-103 The Antifederalist Drive to Reinstitute State Over Nation (Shlomo Slonim)....Pages 105-125 Three Ratification Contests: The Fate of the Union in the Balance (Shlomo Slonim)....Pages 127-162 Madison and the Threat of a Second Constitutional Convention (Shlomo Slonim)....Pages 163-178 The Bill of Rights in Congress: Madison’s Race Against Time (Shlomo Slonim)....Pages 179-193 The Tenth Amendment: Nation Over State Preserved (Shlomo Slonim)....Pages 195-204 Postscript: Federalism Tested: Madison v. Marshall and the Antifederalist Revival (Shlomo Slonim)....Pages 205-227 Back Matter ....Pages 229-273 Shlomo Slonim. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 245-256) And Index.