James Madison and Tyranny of the Majority: Rage or Render?

On this day in 1711 (by the old style Julian calendar) David Hume is born in Edinburgh, Scotland.

So what does that have to do with Our Lost Founding?

David Hume died on August 25, 1776, early on in the American Revolution. Still, his essay, “Idea of a Perfect Commonwealth,” impacted Founding Father James Madison as he wrote “Federalist No. 10.” Several notable Founders wrote the Federalist Papers in favor of ratifying the Constitution. In essence, Madison argued that creating a large republic would mitigate tyranny of the majority.

James Madison is known as the Father of the Constitution and the Father of the Bill of Rights. He was also the fourth President of the United States.

Rage?

Madison instructs:
“A rage for paper money, for an abolition of debts, for an equal division of property, or for any other improper or wicked project, will be less apt to pervade the whole body of the Union than a particular member of it; in the same proportion as such a malady is more likely to taint a particular county or district, than an entire State.”

Render?

On June 20, 1785, James Madison wrote “To the Honorable the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia A Memorial and Remonstrance”:

“It is the duty of every man to render to the Creator such homage and such only as he believes to be acceptable to him. This duty is precedent, both in order of time and in degree of obligation, to the claims of Civil Society. Before any man can be considered as a member of Civil Society, he must be considered as a subject of the Governour of the Universe: And if a member of Civil Society, who enters into any subordinate Association, must always do it with a reservation of his duty to the General Authority; much more must every man who becomes a member of any particular Civil Society, do it with a saving of his allegiance to the Universal Sovereign.”