"But if we continue to postpone from time to time, and refuse to let the subject come into view, it may occasion suspicions, which, though not well founded, may tend to inflame or prejudice the public mind, against our decisions: they may think we are not sincere in our desire to incorporate such amendments in the constitution as will secure those rights, which they consider as not sufficiently guarded."

This was James Madison, rightly concerned on June 8, 1789, that Congress had now twice decided to punt the discussion of the Bill of Rights to a later date. He fretted before ...

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