Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. I.djvu/214

 174 LIVES OF THE PRESIDENTS owe the luminous conception of the two co-existing and harmonious spheres of government, although the constitution, as actually framed, was the result of skilful compromises by which the Virginia plan was modified and improved in many important points. In its original shape that plan went further toward national consolidation than the constitution as adopted. It contemplated a national legislature to be composed of two houses, but both the upper and the lower house were to represent population instead of states. Here it encountered fierce oppo sition from the smaller states, under the lead of New Jersey, until the matter was settled by the famous Connecticut compromise, according to which the upper house was to represent states, while the lower house represented population. Madison s original scheme, moreover, would have allowed the national legislature to set aside at discretion such state laws as it might deem unconstitutional. It seems strange to find Madison, who afterward drafted the Virginia resolutions of 1798, now sug gesting and defending a provision so destructive of state rights. It shows how strongly he was in fluenced at the time by the desire to put an end to the prevailing anarchy. The discussion of this mat ter in the convention, as we read it to-day, brings out in a very strong light the excellence of the ar rangement finally adopted, by which the constitu tionality of state laws is left to be determined