Was the political shift by Madison from the time of the Federalist papers to the plan of Assumption put forth by Hamilton a result of the anticipation of Jefferson returning from Paris or was his stance of personal resolve?

by Mixin_Up_Yer_Crayons

Hi all and thank you in advance. I am having trouble putting my finger on Madison and the motives behind his political ideals. Any insight on how Jefferson may have influenced his political decision making would be greatly appreciated.

NovaNardis

It is an interesting change.

I think it's useful to remeber these positions take place in two contexts. Madison is a Federalist around 1787, when the fight is for the Constitution vs. against the Constitution. Madison was the primary mover behind that document, and he was convinced that America needed a strong central government to survive. His Notes on the convention are the best if not the only primary source describing what happened in Philadelphia.

The second fight is the Federalists vs. The Democratic-Republicans, which is less a fight over whether there should be a Constitution and more over how we proceed under it. I'm not sure ultimately what informs his split with Hamilton et al, but I think it's helpful to consider your question in terms of two different fights.