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Discussion with Jefferson
* "Every master of slaves is born a petty tyrant. They bring the judgment of heaven on a Country. As nations can not be rewarded or punished in the next world they must be in this. By an inevitable chain of causes and effects providence punishes national sins, by national calamities. He lamented that some of our Eastern brethren had from a lust of gain embarked in this nefarious traffic. As to the States being in possession of the Right to import, this was the case with many other rights, now to be properly given up. He held it essential in every point of view that the General Government should have power to prevent the increase of slavery."<ref>[http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/debates_822.asp Madison Debates], August 22</ref>
* "Every master of slaves is born a petty tyrant. They bring the judgment of heaven on a Country. As nations can not be rewarded or punished in the next world they must be in this. By an inevitable chain of causes and effects providence punishes national sins, by national calamities. He lamented that some of our Eastern brethren had from a lust of gain embarked in this nefarious traffic. As to the States being in possession of the Right to import, this was the case with many other rights, now to be properly given up. He held it essential in every point of view that the General Government should have power to prevent the increase of slavery."<ref>[http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/debates_822.asp Madison Debates], August 22</ref>
* "Are all laws whatever to be brought up? Is no road nor bridge to be established without the Sanction of the General Legislature? Is this to sit constantly in order to receive and revise the State Laws?–He did not mean by these remarks to condemn the expedient, but he was apprehensive that great objections would lie against it."<ref>[http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/debates_823.asp Madison Debates], August 23</ref>
* "Are all laws whatever to be brought up? Is no road nor bridge to be established without the Sanction of the General Legislature? Is this to sit constantly in order to receive and revise the State Laws?–He did not mean by these remarks to condemn the expedient, but he was apprehensive that great objections would lie against it."<ref>[http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/debates_823.asp Madison Debates], August 23</ref>
* The constitution as agreed to till fortnight before the convention rose was such a one as he could have set his hand and heart to.
**1. The president was to be elected for 7 years, then ineligible for 7 more.
**2. Rotation in the senate.
**3. A vote of 2/3 in the legislature on particular subjects and expressly on that of navigation. The 3 New England states were constantly with us in all questions (Rhode Island not there, and New York seldom) so that it was these 3 states with the 5 Southern ones against Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.
*With respect to the importation of slaves it was left to Congress. This disturbed the 2 Southernmost states who knew that Congress would immediately suppress the importation of slaves. Those 2 states therefore struck up a bargain with the 3 New England states. If they would join to admit slaves for some years, the 2 Southernmost states would join in changing the clause which required 2/3 of the legislature in any vote. It was done. These articles were changed accordingly, and from that moment the 2 Southern states and the 3 Northern ones joined Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, and made the majority 8 to 3 against us instead of 8 to 3 for us as it had been through the whole Convention. Under this coalition the great principles of the Constitution were changed in the last days of the Convention.<ref>[https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-24-02-0387 Notes of a Conversation with George Mason, 30 September 1792]</ref>
==Further reading==
==Further reading==