"There have been objections of various kinds made against the constitution: Some were levelled against its structure [...] but I believe that the great mass of the people who opposed it, disliked it because it did not contain effectual provision against encroachments on particular rights, and those safeguards which they have been long accustomed to have interposed between them and the magistrate who exercised the sovereign power: nor ought we to consider them safe, while a great number of our fellow citizens think these securities necessary.
"It has been a fortunate thing that the objection to the government has been made on the ground I stated; because it will be practicable on that ground to obviate the objection, so far as to satisfy the public mind that their liberties will be perpetual, and this without endangering any part of the constitution, which is considered as essential to the existence of the government by those who promoted its adoption."
-- James Madison (b. 1751-03-16, d. 1836-06-28; US President 1809 - 1817), addressing Congress as Representative from Virginia to propose what became the Bill of Rights, 1789-06-08
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