24
VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY
pointed a delegate. The meeting at Anna-
polis led to the Federal convention at Phil-
adelphia, in which Madison figured as the
great constructive organizer of the new con-
stitution and government, winning the name
of "Father of the Constitution." He after-
wards joined with Alexander Hamilton and
John Jay in preparing a series of able es*
siivs which were published in 17S8 over the
name of "The Federalist," defensive of the
v;ork of the convention ; but his ability shone
ii. even a more brilliant light when in the
Virginia convention, during the same year,
he carried the adoption of the constitution
iigainst all the declamation of Patrick Henry
and the fervid reasoning of George Mason
and William Grayson. Succeeding this, he
v.as defeated for the senate of the United
States, but elected to the house of represen-
tJ.tives. In this new capacity he opposed the
measures of Hamilton, and aligned himself
with Mr. Jefferson and the Republican party.
In 1797 he withdrew to private life, but in
1798 he joined in a movement to oppose the
alien and sedition laws passed by John
Adams and the Federalist party, and drew
the famous resolutions of 1798- 1799, which
were quoted for many years later as defining
the ground upon which the States Rights
party stood. These resolutions, with those
of Kentucky, drawn by Jefferson, were repu-
diated by the legislatures of the other states
under the control of the Federalists. So
Mr. Madison had himself returned to the
Virginia house of delegates, and made his
famous report of 1800, affirming the con-
federate character of the Union and the sov-
ereignty of the individual states. In 1801
Madison became secretary of state in Jeffer-
son's cabinet, and was his trusted adviser
during eight years. In 1808 he was elected
bis successor in the presidential chair, and
Served two terms. He continued the peace
policy of his predecessor, and resorted to
commercial restrictions to coerce Great
Britain and France. When this proved in-
adequate, he reluctantly consented to war
with the former. Modern thought has jus-
tified him in both particulars. His second
administration was virtually a history of
the war of 1812-1814. conducted for the
most part in gloom, but concluded with the
glories of a great victory at Xew Orleans.
After the expiration of his second term, he retired to "Montpelier." his beautiful home in Orange county, where he spent twenty years more in literary and agricul- tural pursuits. He was much interested in the establishment of the University of Vir- ginia, of which he was a visitor, and the successor to Mr. Jefferson as rector. To the time of his death he continued to be con- sulted by statesmen as an oracle on all con- stitutional questions. His death occurred on June 28, 1836. He married Dorothea Payne Todd, but left no issue.
Marshall, John (q. v.).
Mason, David (q. v.. i-285).
Mason, George, son of Colonel George Mason, of Stafford county, and Ann Thom- son, his wife, daughter of Stevens Thom- son, attorney-general of Virginia, was de- scended from an ancestor of the same name, who came to Virginia about 165 1. He was born at Doeg's Neck, Stafford county (now Fairfax), in 1726, and was educated at pri- vate schools. He was a member of the Ohio Company in 1749, and during the French and Indian war was active in provid- ing supplies to Braddock's army. He was a member of the house of burgesses in the
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