Traditionally, Americans are regarded as worshippers of their Con-
stitution -- the basic document that sets up the rules, procedures, and
principles of the democratic Republic of the United States. Tradition-
ally, also, Americans are credited or charged, as the case may be, with
veneration of "The Founding Fathers" whose words and deeds, like
the beads on a rosary, keep believers in touch with their faith. Finally,
both friends and critics have remarked the characteristic American
penchant for argument and debate, for political oratory, addresses,
speeches -- perhaps an expectable trait in a people who take their poli-
tics seriously and whose earnestness is a measure of their pride in
self-government. "We the people" not only relish political debate, we
invade the once-inaccessible committee rooms, troop through the
White House corridors and rooms and, passion unslaked, demand
periodically that there be "a great debate"!

While part of the above tradition is more legend than fact, there
is enough truth clinging to its generalities to provoke the following
question. Since all the three interests mentioned converge on Madison's
Notes of Debates in the Federal Convention of 1787, why has
this invaluable source become out of print, unavailable for teachers,
students, lawyers, journalists, commentators, and "we the people" who
care? Thousands of books tumble off the presses annually (as they
should); but for this work, the root and origin of "the supreme Law
of the Land," only the affluent may hope to acquire a copy, and then
only if they are lucky. It would be interesting to speculate on how and
why this oversight was committed by publishers who are eager to
increase their offerings in American history -- but space forbids and
happily the issue may now, with the publication of this volume, be
termed academic.

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