When pressed as to why there wasn't a Bill of Rights contained in the proposed Constitution, James Madison had explained that if was believed that it would confuse the people into believing that the Bill was the limit of their rights, that no other rights existed.
Over the years, I have come to question whether or not he truly believed that or was just being... well... a politician? Why?
Because THE single issue which almost defeated the ratification of the Constitution was the lack of a Bill of Rights.
And nobody was more vocal about it (in writing, anyway) than Brutus...