politics would cause members of the Convention to ridicule his ideas, asked that the entire Virginian committee present the proposal (Ketcham, 1971). The entire presentation was carefully calculated to ensure the greatest likelihood of approval. First, another proposal was introduced before the Virginia Plan, similar enough to be profitable should it not pass, which Madison had little doubt it would not. The Virginia Plan was then introduced, not by Madison himself, the cardinal author, but by the highly respected Governor Randolph, and was quickly passed into law. Of Governor Randolph's presentation of the Virginia Plan, Madison wrote, "an alternative proposition, which had been kept in reserve, being seasonably brought forward by a highly respected member, who, having long served in the State [Virginia] councils without participating in the Federal, had more the ear of the Legislature on that account, was adopted with little opposition" (Fendall, 1865). Madison knew that his own introduction of the document would likely be considered a Federal tactic, which at this point, he was not prepared to argue with any hope of success.The Virginia Plan would eventually become largely the basis for the Constitution, with Madison arguing tirelessly at every turn for its approval. Although he was not a practiced speaker, Madison spoke over 150 times at the Convention, and many of the other delegates found themselves grudgingly admiring him. William Pierce, a delegate from Georgia, spoke of Madison that: "He blends together the profound politician with the Scholar. In the management of every great question he evidently took the lead in the Convention, and tho' he cannot be called an Orator, he is a most agreeable, eloquent and convincing Speaker. From a spirit of industry and application which he possesses in a most eminent degree, he always comes forward the best informed Man of any point in debate" (Bent, 2000).Madison used every tactic at his di...
