Democrats Call for 'Transing' Kids & Court Packing as Trump Calls for New Census | Aug. 8, 2025

Federalist Paper No. 54, authored by James Madison, delves into the complex issue of representation within the newly proposed United States Constitution. Specifically, it addresses the contentious matter of how slaves should be counted for purposes of both taxation and representation in Congress. Madison defends the compromise reached during the Constitutional Convention, which stipulated that slaves would be counted as three-fifths of a person. He argues that this ratio, while imperfect, struck a balance between the interests of the Southern states, which sought greater representation, and the Northern states, which opposed counting slaves at all. The paper explores the inherent tensions between the ideals of liberty and equality and the realities of slavery in the early American Republic. Ultimately, Federalist Paper No. 54 provides valuable insight into the compromises and debates that shaped the foundation of American government and society.