"From the Works of Nature … to the Institutions of Man": How Political Moderation Made Possible the Constitution's Ratification

Abstract:The ratification debate of 1787–1788 unfolded in distinct stages and the stage which began early in January 1788 was the most important. It saw the introduction of political moderation which blended both stylistic and substantive elements to enable compromise across a vast gulf of differences between Federalists and Anti-Federalists. Ultimately, moderation was the mechanism and the approach that enabled the Federalists to win the ratification contest. James Madison and John Jay—who were themselves defining examples of political moderation—helped lead this crucial turn, first through written words and later through their actions. But just as important as the turn toward political moderation was the timing of that pivot. In other words, when Madison and Jay took these actions in the context of the debate mattered greatly. This article examines the practice of moderation within the immediate context of the ratification process so that we can better understand the key interventions made by Madison and Jay and discover why the timing of their political moderation was so crucial.