Time: Tue May 20 15:49:36 1997 by primenet.com (8.8.5/8.8.5) with ESMTP id PAA18287; Tue, 20 May 1997 15:32:46 -0700 (MST) by usr01.primenet.com (8.8.5/8.8.5) with SMTP id PAA08012; Tue, 20 May 1997 15:27:58 -0700 (MST) Date: Tue, 20 May 1997 15:47:40 -0700 To: (Recipient list suppressed) From: Paul Andrew Mitchell [address in tool bar] Subject: SLS: Madison's Notes on the Debates in the Federal Convention Now Online (Fwd) <snip> > >Madison's Notes >Introduction by Jon Roland > >James Madison is usually credited with being the principal author of the >U.S. Constitution at the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, >but, while he was an active participant in the debates and in the >drafting of the document, he also managed to take the most complete set >of notes on the debates in that convention, capturing the essence, if >not the exact words, of the participants, and giving us a definitive >insight into the intent of the Framers. > >His were not the only notes taken, and several of the other participants >wrote of their recollections of the Convention, including the official >recording secretary, William Jackson, but none are nearly as complete, >nor do they differ from Madison's Notes, as they are often called, in >any significant details. Jackson's notes are mere recordings of the >resolutions and votes on them, with little on the content of the >debates. > >Madison's Notes were not published until about 1840, perhaps to fulfill >an early decision by the original convention forbidding disclosure of >the proceedings, to which Madison may have felt himself bound while the >other participants lived, and it was after all the rest of them had died >that he did finally publish them. The original manuscript is in somewhat >rough form, evidently the original state in which he wrote it in haste >during or shortly after the Convention itself. One must suppose he intended >an editor to clean it up and expand on his many abbreviations, but scholars >have rather chosen to present editions that reflect that original rough >state, with misspellings, inconsistent abbreviations and numberings >preserved for our edification. That can cause some pause for people when >they first try to read it, until they figure out the abbreviations, but >it is worth the effort, for one gains an important sense of the energy, >the intensity, and sometimes the frustrations of the delegates to that >historic meeting as the hammered out a truly innovative experiment in >self-government. > >To the best of my knowledge this is the first online edition of the Notes. >I have had the benefit of both an "official" 1900 edition and later >editions with the footnotes of editors. I have also included Madison's >Preface to the Notes, which provides additional insight into the Convention >and its role in history. > >For persons interested in resolving issues of constitutional intent and >interpretation, this is an essential reference. It makes clear what some >of the terms mean that are used in the Constitution, words that are not >commonly heard today, or whose meanings have changed. > >Any errors in this edition are my responsibility, and I ask that anyone >finding such errors communicate them to me for correction. > >=================================================================== >Constitution Society, 1731 Howe Av #370, Sacramento, CA 95825 >916/568-1022, 916/450-7941VM Date: 05/20/97 Time: 08:46:38 >http://www.constitution.org/ mailto:jon.roland@the-spa.com >=================================================================== ======================================================================== Paul Andrew, Mitchell, B.A., M.S. : Counselor at Law, federal witness email: [address in tool bar] : Eudora Pro 3.0.1 on Intel 586 CPU web site: http://www.supremelaw.com : library & law school registration ship to: c/o 2509 N. Campbell, #1776 : this is free speech, at its best Tucson, Arizona state : state zone, not the federal zone Postal Zone 85719/tdc : USPS delays first class w/o this ========================================================================
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