I believe woodpusher’s original comment was that Henry and Jefferson predicted what the Constitution would BECOME, not what it was thought to be in 1788 (recall Henry’s famous “I smell a rat,” comment). It was the old “Federalists vs Anti-Federalists” standoff, and was one of the reasons for the Bill of Rights.
I understood that. My comment is that woodpusher is wrong that Henry was afraid of what it would BECOME. Henry understood what it WAS. The constitution formed a consolidated government established by the people. The articles of confederation was a league formed by the states.
The anti-federalist at the time of ratification of the constitution did not want it ratified. They wanted to continue under the Articles of Confederation. They lost that battle, but they did win in getting the bill of rights added to the constitution.
[woodpusher] Perhaps Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson understood it as well or better than Madison. It would seem that he who best predicted what would result probably had the best understanding.[OIFVeteran] It's not so much predicted as he understood that the constitution was being ratified by the people, so they bound the states to it, where the articles of confederation was ratified by the states. He says this very thing in his speech to the Virginia ratification convention.
[ought-six] I believe woodpusher’s original comment was that Henry and Jefferson predicted what the Constitution would BECOME, not what it was thought to be in 1788 (recall Henry’s famous “I smell a rat,” comment). It was the old “Federalists vs Anti-Federalists” standoff, and was one of the reasons for the Bill of Rights.
It was really a reference to what indubitably did result; the Federal leviathan in Washington—the centralization of power and corruption in Washington.
The Federalist Papers were a marketing campaign to the people of New York. They were selling a product. Madison Avenue was the appropriate place to become home to advertising agencies.
Unless the Framers sold an image of the government as it exists today, somewhere there has been a disconnect.