Book excerpt: A valuable collection of the personal papers and correspondence of James Madison, one of the most important figures in early American history. This book offers a unique perspective on Madison's life and legacy, covering his discussions on a broad range of topics including the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the American political system. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.