Among other things, in his defense of himself and his Philadelphia associates, this is what Madison said of them: “They must have reflected, that in all great changes of established governments, forms ought to give way to substance; that a rigid adherence in such cases to the former would render nominal and nugatory the transcendent and precious right of the _people_ to ‘abolish or alter _their_ governments as to _them_ shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness,’ since it is impossible for the people spontaneously and universally to move in concert towards their object; and it is therefore essential that such changes be instituted by some _informal and unauthorized propositions_ made by some patriotic and respectable citizen or number of citizens. They must have recollected that it was by this irregular and assumed privilege of _proposing_ to the _people_ plans for _their_ safety and happiness that the states were first united against the danger with which they were threatened by their ancient government; that committees and congresses were formed for concentrating their efforts and defending their rights; and that _conventions_ were _elected_ in _the several states_ for establishing the constitutions under which they are now governed;... They must have borne in mind that as the plan to be framed and proposed was to be submitted _to the people themselves_, the disapprobation of the supreme authority would destroy it forever; its approbation blot out antecedent errors and irregularities.”