jvjv at posthaven

In fact, though Madison was a slave-holding man, his writings on the subject hardly reflect one comfortable with the institution. Some quotes from Madison on slavery:

"[The Convention] thought it wrong to admit in the Constitution the idea that there could be property in men."

-- James Madison, Records of the Convention, August 25, 1787

"We have seen the mere distinction of color made in the most enlightened period of time, a ground of the most oppressive dominion ever exercised by man over man."

-- James Madison, speech at the Constitutional Convention, June 6, 1787

"Another of my wishes is to depend as little as possible on the labour of slaves."

-- James Madison, Letter to R. H. Lee, July 17, 1785

"[I]f slavery, as a national evil, is to be abolished, and it be just that it be done at the national expense, the amount of the expense is not a paramount consideration."

-- James Madison, Letter to Robert J. Evans