[Retain Mike]

In reading James Madison's notes to the Constitutional Convention, I find the Constitution would not have been ratified if James Madison, who was unequaled in among delegates for scholarship of political organizations, had not with others supported positions that states retained sufficient sovereignty to secede as the last resort to a political impasse created by perceived usurpations or abuses of the federal government.

He believed the transcendent law of nature demanding the right of self-preservation declared the safety and happiness of society must dominate political institutions and require their sacrifice. Any use of force against a state would be invasion.

[DiogenesLamp]

In reading James Madison's notes to the Constitutional Convention, I find the Constitution would not have been ratified if James Madison, who was unequaled in among delegates for scholarship of political organizations, had not with others supported positions that states retained sufficient sovereignty to secede as the last resort to a political impasse created by perceived usurpations or abuses of the federal government.

I think that is likely true. A lot of people were afraid of the idea of a powerful central government. The anti-federalists also wrote a lot of papers and I have had occasion to read some of them, and I am often amazed at their ability to predict exactly the calamitys that have befallen us.

He believed the transcendent law of nature demanding the right of self-preservation declared the safety and happiness of society must dominate political institutions and require their sacrifice. Any use of force against a state would be invasion.

I would be interested if you had any such James Madison quote. I can't say i'm familiar with this notion coming from him.