See also: Madison
James Madison (1751 - 1836) is the fourth president of the United States of America of 1809 with 1817.
He is regarded as one of the principal authors of the Constitution and in particular of balance between the legislative powers, legal and executive. He succeeded Thomas Jefferson as a Foreign Minister before being elected with the presidency.
Biography
James Madison is born the March 16th 1751 in the county from King George, Virginia. His/her parents, colonel James Madison, Sr (1723-1801) and his mother Eleanor Pink Conway (1731-1829) are owners of a Plantation of Tabac with many slaves in Virginia, where it passes his childhood.
In 1769, James is registered at the university of Princeton where it absorbs in two years the four year old curriculum vitae and makes itself sick of excess of work. Once cured, it becomes protected from Thomas Jefferson. He was in addition freemason.
Political career
He becomes a character of the political scene of the State of Virginia, takes part in the drafting of the law on the religious liberty, and persuades the State to make gift of the Territories of the North-West to the Congrès (these territories will become part of the Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee).
In 1780, it gives its support for the creation of a constitutional Commission. It is very influential with Philadelphia and certain historians see in him the “father of the Constitution”. Madison decides for a strong central government and two legislative rooms; he is the craftsman of the system of balance between the legislative powers, legal and executive. He insists on the representation proportional to the population of the States within the Congress. Its notes on Convention are best testimonys on the ideas of the writers. He takes part in the drafting of the federalist papers , series of articles in favor of the ratification.
After the ratification of the Constitution, Madison becomes appointed of its State, Virginia. It is him which introduces the first ten amendments, known under the name of “laws on the civil rights” (Bill off Rights) . It is favorable to the limitation of the power of the federal government, and it is because of its opposition to the formation of a federal bank that the first American parties, the federalistic left and the party republican-democrat, are formed. In 1785 he is also the author of a proposal being opposed to the financing by the State Christian schools.
In 1797, Madison leaves the Congress to become Foreign Minister of Jefferson.
In 1808, it is presented to the presidential elections, and is elected on December 7th, mainly because of its diplomatic skill, in a time when the France and the the United Kingdom are ready to declare the war with the the United States.
Presidency
1809
March 4th: Nomination of Madison as a fourth president of the United States of America.
October 27th: Madison issues the annexation of the western part of the State of Florida, where the colonists rebel against the authority of Spain.
1811
February 11th: Madison prohibits the trade with the United Kingdom.
1812
June 18th: Beginning of the War of 1812 between the United States and the United Kingdom. This war is especially supported by the agricultural states of the south and the west.
July 12th: The American forces under the control of the general William Hull enter to Canada, but must then make retirement on Détroit. The army counts only 5 000 volunteers whereas the plans of Madison envisaged 50 of it; 000.
December 2nd: Madison is re-elected for a second mandate.
1814
August 24th: Evaluated British forces with 5 000 men, under the command of the general Robert Ross, walk on Washington in reprisals to the fire of the Canadian Parliament. They meet only one low resistance on behalf of the disorganized American army, and penetrate in the capital. They burn there all the public buildings, of which the Capitole and the White House.
In 1814, the Traité of Ghent puts an end to the war. The battle of the New-Orleans, during which Andrew Jackson is distinguished in 1815, takes place after the end of the war, because the news of the suspension of the hostilities did not reach the Louisiana in time. The principal consequence of this war is the disappearance of the federalistic party, considered as traitor because of his opposition to the war.
Foreign politics
France and the United Kingdom are in war, and mutually block the access of the American ships in their ports, thus preventing the trade. In 1812 Madison proposes with the two belligerents to stop the boardings of American ships in exchange of an alliance against the other part. Napoleon accepts this offer immediately and, under the pressure of the Congress, Madison the war in the United Kingdom declares. In fact the British them had also accepted his offer, but the news had not come from to him.
The war which follows is not really a success. The British gain victory after victory, and occupy Washington DC even temporarily, from where Madison must flee. The British also arm with the Indian tribes in the West, in particular the Shawnee carried out by the chief Tecumseh. None the parts is particularly in favor of the war, and on the American side the States of New England are ready to make secession if the war continues.
Interior policy
Madison is afraid to leave too much be able with the politicians if the federal government is charged with the central bank of the United States. It lets expire the mandate of the bank created by its predecessor, but it needs money to finance the war against the United Kingdom; towards the end of its mandate it will support the creation of a second central bank.
Policy partisane
Madison and Jefferson are regarded as the founders of the Party democrat-republican. Madison succeeds Jefferson without difficulty in 1808 and he is re-elected in 1812, because the Americans are persuaded to have gained the War of 1812. The federalistic Party, which had opposed the war, disappears.
Reprocess and death
After its second mandate, Madison is withdrawn in its farm of Montpellier, Virginia. He becomes briefly the vice-chancellor of the university of Virginia but devotes himself primarily to agriculture. He dies on June 28th, 1836.
Anecdotes
March 4th, 1809 is the first President who wears manufactured clothing to the United States the day of his nomination.
Measuring only 1,63 m and weighing 45 kg, Madison was frequently sick and very monk. In 1794 it marries Dolley Payne Todd which, pretty and lives, emphasizes its sick and antisocial aspect. It is in Dolley that one allots to the creation of the role of “First lady of the United States” as a first support of her husband, the president.
Homages
Its portrait is reproduced on the tickets of 500 $.
Quotations
Government
What the government, if not the best reflection of the human nature? If the men were angels, no government would be necessarySecularity
The government does not have the shade of a right to interfere itself religion. Its smaller interference would be an obvious usurpation.
See too
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