The Writer’s Almanac from American Public Media

James Madison … made the Bill of Rights a reality. Madison introduced the Bill of Rights into the first session of Congress in 1789, and he used Virginia’s Declaration of Rights as the model. Madison originally supported the adoption of 17 amendments, which was eventually trimmed to 12, of which 10 were adopted….

So, what were the 7 amendments that got cut or the two that almost made it? mjh

[updated 12-18-06]

Walking Raven sent me this link: A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774 – 1875. Our beloved First Amendment was originally the third article, preceded by Article I, which specified the number of representatives, and Article II, which specified that pay raises for Representatives and Senators could only apply after an election. Those were the two amendments/articles that were dropped before the Bill of Rights was passed. (Still don’t know about the other 5 of the original 17.)

[updated 12-19-06]

[mjh: I should have just checked NewMexiKen first.]

NewMexiKen: The Bill of Rights

The draft first amendment concerned the numbers of constituents for each representative. It has never been ratified. The draft second amendment was ratified by the required number of states in 1992. It took effect as Amendment XXVII (”No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.”)