In his 1790 reply to Jefferson’s letter, Madison lays out his argument against Jefferson’s proposal over reauthorization of the US constitution over every certain period. The disagreement between the two men was not over the right of people to change the constitution to meet the generation’s needs. In fact, Madison agreed with Jefferson that people should be able to modify the constitution accordingly, or else it would not be a right, but force. Madison also agrees with Jefferson’s statement about the Earth belonging to the living, and that no generation should leave its debts on its children. However, Madison points out to Jefferson that his abstract concept was “not in all respects compatible with the course of human affairs” and proceeds
