Creating the United States

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Nationalists, such as James Madison and George Washington, were wary of calls from state ratifying conventions for a second national constitutional convention. They feared that a new convention would result in changes to the Constitution that would weaken a federal government or, worse, create a deadlock that would make establishing the federal government impossible. Ultimately, Madison and Washington endorsed mild constitutional amendments as a way of avoiding structural changes to the federal government.

(Transcription)

“It is equally certain that there are others, who urge a Second Convention . . .”


Nationalists, such as James Madison and George Washington, were wary of calls from state ratifying conventions for a second national constitutional convention. They feared that a new convention would result in changes to the Constitution that would weaken a federal government or, worse, create a deadlock that would make establishing the federal government impossible. Ultimately, Madison and Washington endorsed mild constitutional amendments as a way of avoiding structural changes to the federal government.