James Madison

James Madison, considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, was the 4th president of the United States. He served as president from 1809-1817. He also did the much important work at the Constitutional Convention. He was born in March 16, 1751 on the estate of Blue Ridge in Virginia. He is known to today as "Father of the Constitution" because of writing and proposing the Virginia Plan which would later become part of the Constitution. He died June 28, 1836 in Montpelier, Virginia at age 86.

THE WAR OF 1812

Madison's presidency was not without problems. In particular, the British seizing of American ships was something that he could not resolve diplomatically. Instead, he pushed for war, and the U.S. eventually invaded Canada (then still a British colony), in what became known as the War of 1812. That war saw the seizing of Detroit by Canada, and the burning of Washington, D.C. by the British. In hindsight, the War of 1812 is often viewed as a mistake, but at the time the Federalist Party's opposition to the War (and to Madison's Democratic-Republican Party) led to the Federalists being viewed as "unpatriotic" and "anti-American," and the party disbanded soon after the next election year.

MADSION ON SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE

Madison, along with his fellow Democratic-Republican Thomas Jefferson, was adamant in maintaining a Separation of church and state: "The experience of the United States is a happy disproof of the error so long rooted in the unenlightened minds of well-meaning Christians, as well as in the corrupt hearts of persecuting usurpers, that without a legal incorporation of religious and civil polity, neither could be supported. A mutual independence is found most friendly to practical Religion, to social harmony, and to political prosperity." (Letter to F.L. Schaeffer, Dec 3, 1821)

"Is the appointment of Chaplains to the two Houses of Congress consistent with the Constitution, and with the pure principle of religious freedom? In the strictness the answer on both points must be in the negative. The Constitution of the U. S. forbids everything like an establishment of a national religion. The law appointing Chaplains establishes a religious worship for the national representatives, to be performed by Ministers of religion, elected by a majority of them; and these are to be paid out of the national taxes. Does not this involve the principle of a national establishment, applicable to a provision for a religious worship for the Constituent as well as of the representative Body, approved by the majority, and conducted by Ministers of religion paid by the entire nation?" (Detached Memoranda, circa 1820).