Making a Great America

Federalist Paper #54: The Apportionment of Members Among the States

• Charles Jett

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 Madison addresses the contentious issue of how slaves should be counted for the purposes of both representation and taxation. He explains the three-fifths compromise, which counts slaves as three-fifths of a person, arguing that this arrangement reflects a balance between the Northern and Southern states. Madison acknowledges the complexity and moral challenges of slavery but frames the compromise as a necessary political solution to unify the states. He emphasizes that while imperfect, the three-fifths rule is a practical and equitable way to allocate representation and taxation across the states. 

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