James Madison – Page 3

“Detached Memoranda” by James Madison, 1817

May 27, 2017 Religious Freedom Archive Comments 0 Comment

James Madison January 1, 1817 In 1946, this amazing document was found in the files of Madison’s earliest biographer. explaining his views on a wide variety of issues – especially religious freedom. In this “Detached Memoranda,” thought to have been written between 1817-32, Madison gave his reasoning for his positions and actions on a variety of church-state issues including his opposition congressional chaplains, military chaplains, his vetoes of religion-related laws. The danger of silent accumulations & encroachments by Ecclesiastical Bodies…

Read More Read More

Autobiography of James Madison

May 27, 2017 Religious Freedom Archive Comments 0 Comment

James Madison 1831 Madison sketched a thin autobiography in response to a request from a would-be biographer. He writes in third person. He is over 80 years old at this point, and it’s noteworthy that he devotes significant space in this 12-page treatise to his work on religious freedom. At the age of 12 years, he was placed by his father under the tuition of Donald Robertson, from Scotland, aman of extensive learning, and a distinguished Teacher,in the Countyof King…

Read More Read More

Bill of Rights Amendments Offered in Congress by James Madison, June 8, 1789

May 27, 2017 Religious Freedom Archive Comments 0 Comment

James Madison June 8, 1789 James Madison initially argued that a Bill of Rights was unnecessary. But in his first race for Congress, he promised he would propose a Bill of Rights, including a provision for religious freedom. He kept his promise. On June 8, 1789, he went to the floor of the House and proposed amendments to be embedded throughout the original constitution, rather than as a separate Bill of Rights. His proposal included language that would evolve into…

Read More Read More

Federal Veto of State Laws on Religion, House Debate, August 17, 1789

May 22, 2017 Religious Freedom Archive Comments 0 Comment

Congress August 17, 1789 Few people remember that James Madison wanted to give Congress the ability to veto state laws that harmed religious freedom. What follows is the brief debate on this topic. Incredibly, this amendment passed the House but died later in the Senate. The committee then proceeded to the fifth proposition: Article I, Section 10 between the first and second paragraph, insert ‘No state shall infringe the equal rights of conscience, nor the freedom of speech or of…

Read More Read More

Drafts of the First Amendment in Congress, 1789

May 22, 2017 Religious Freedom Archive Comments 0 Comment

The First Amendment didn’t go from James Madison’s pen straight to the National Archives. It was the product of legislative wrangling in the House and Senate of the first Congress. Here, without annotation, are the different drafts the lawmakers considered. On June 8, 1789, James Madison proposed a religious freedom amendment to the Constitution: “That in article 1st, section 9, between clauses 3 and 4, be inserted these clauses, to wit: The civil rights of none shall be abridged on…

Read More Read More

Debate on the First Amendment, House of Representatives, August 15, 1789

May 22, 2017 Religious Freedom Archive Comments 0 Comment

Congress August 15, 1789 The most complete record of Congressional debate on the first amendment was in the House of Representatives. In it, you can see James Madison attempting to cobble together a winning majority by assuaging concerns of certain Congressman who feared that this amendment would limit the ability of the states to regulate or support religion. Madison assured them the states would still be free to treat religion as they liked. Aug. 15 The House again went into…

Read More Read More