He would have been 258 today.Happy birthday to James Madison, who would be 258 years old today. I think Madison has a fair claim to the title of Greatest Political Thinker in Human History. His work was so insightful, so careful, and often so far ahead of its time that it truly boggles the mind. If you have never taken a moment to acquaint yourself with his work, check out a little of it today. His Federalist No. 10 is the most famous essay in that collection, but I have long thought that Federalist 51 was at least equal, and probably better. His memorandum on ecclesiastical establishments is magnificent. His letter about consent and debt, in response to Jefferson's famous "earth belongs to the living" letter, is also brilliant. But nothing is better than his little essay, "Property."
Update: You can also follow the progress of the restoration of Madison's home Montpelier at this blog.
Madison is perhaps my favorite from among the Founding Fathers. I was just visiting his home last Thursday with my mom and dad near Orange, VA.
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