Reply To: Differences

#21891
gutzmank
Participant

Jefferson first said he couldn’t decide whether the Constitution was more good or bad, but ultimately he decided he supported ratification, followed by amendment. In that sense, he was a Federalist.

Madison generally was more careful and less adventurous. He had essentially one interest, which was government–particularly constitutionalism. Jefferson, on the other hand, was a highly variegated genius, and prone to fire off an opinion seemingly without thinking to a conclusion. In that sense, Jefferson seems more “French,” Madison more “English.”