The Last of the Fathers: James Madison and the Republican Legacy

Description

Born in the middle of the eighteenth century as a subject of King George II, James Madison, father of the United States Constitution, lived until 1836, dying as a citizen of Andrew Jackson's republic. For over forty years he played a pivotal role in the creation and defence of a new political order but he also lived long enough to see the system of government he had nurtured threatened by disruptive forces that would ultimately lead to civil war. In this book, Drew McCoy tells the poignant story of Madison's reckoning of his generation's spectacular political achievement.

'What makes this thoroughly researched study all the more enjoyable is McCoy's accomplishment as a biographer. He knows Madison; he is acquainted with the man rather than with an historical figure. As a result, the reader stands beside Madison in two stormy, antebellum decades. One can understand his thinking and anticipate his actions. This is superb historical reporting. Both Madison and McCoy will receive accolades as a result of this new treatment.' Richmond News Leader 'By focusing on Madison's later years, Drew McCoy has given us a brilliant analysis of Madison's conservatism, and of the way it operated in his reactions to the issues of his day. More important, he has shown how those issues emerged from the Constitution itself, as the conflicts it subdued grew too strong to be contained within the political framework it furnished ... It is a searching commentary on the ambiguities in the original Constitution of the world's greatest republic.' The New Republic 'This inquiry into a complex mind and fascinating personality will please any reader looking for a rigorous but perfectly accessible treatment of Madison's accomplishments and contributions.' Book List