〈權利憲章〉是美國立憲之後首度通過的憲法修正案，它對美國 憲政發展的影響既深且遠，它是繼英國《大憲章》及〈權利法案〉之 後，捍衛人權的一座豐碑，可是它的產生卻有一段錯綜複雜的歷史背 景。本文主要的目的即在深入當時的歷史情境，說明權利條款入憲 所引發的爭議。進而說明梅迪遜何以從一個反對權利條款入憲的主張 者，卻在憲法批准後，搖身一變，成為權利條款入憲的推動者？而身 為一個政治領袖，他又如何在逆境中藉由妥協與讓步、說服與溝通， 順利地將權利條款入憲，並因而避免二次制憲的危機。是權利條款的 入憲，是梅迪遜的堅持與智慧，為美國的憲政添樑加柱。

The Bill of Rights is the first amendments approved after the establishing of the American Constitution. Facilitating to the development of American constitutionalism, a moment of significance are on a par with those of the British Magna Carta and Bill of Rights. Yet the Process of transforming the ideas of the Bill of Rights into the realization of the Amendments is complex and intricating so the first intended purpose of this essay is to analyze and clarify the relating controversies with respect to the Amendments, setting the discussions in historical context. Secondly, I would try to explore and explain why James Madison made a U-turn from being an opponent to the Rights Clause and became the champion for the Bill of Rights after the Constitution was approved. Then I would proceed to explicate how James Madison, being a political leader, tried successfully to annex the Bill of Rights to the Constitution and hence avoid the crisis of Second Convention through the political art of compromise and concession, persuasion and communication. Lastly I attempt to make a tentative to promoting and strengthening the legitimacy and coherency of the American constitutionalism with his wisdom and perseverance.