Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1828-12-30
E.iUn. 1e NatOi.al Kliel:gLDcer II Uec,D.sfq9.
EETFERS OF Mr.. MADISON.
LETTER II.

MONTPELIER, October 30, l8El
DEAR SIN: In my letter of September 18Th I sin
ted, briefly, the grounds which rested nv opinion
that power to Impose duties and restrictions on i'm
ports with view to encourage domestic prod.ctIoUp
vas ccrsttutonally lodged i'll Congress. In the OBJ
servatiopS then made involved the or;niun aIso
that tho power was properly there lodged AS this
last opinion necessarily implies that there ara cases III
which the power may be usefuIy exercised by Con-
gress, the only body within political system caIta
bic of exercising 1t With effect, you may think il in
cnmbent to point out cases of that escription
will premise that concur in the opinion that as
ge9erOi role, individuals ought 20 he deemed the best
Judges OF tte best application OF their Industry and
am ready 70 admit, alsD, that there is as crIntrv
IN which the application may, With more safety bt.
ieft to the ftog and enterprise Of individuals
than toe United States.
Finally, shall not deny that in aI doubtfnl cusss
1t becomes every Government to lean rather 10 n
confidence in the judgment Of individuals than 20 In
ternositions controlling the free exercise Of il.
with all these concessions, thnlI il Gun be shifts
facoriy shown, that there exceptions 70 tho run
eral rule, now expressed by the phrass "I.ct us
alone" forming which call for interpretations on
the competent authority and which arc not nconyis-
tent with the generality of tho rule.
1. The Theory of "Let us alone" supp1srr5 that oil
nations concur in perfect freedom Of commercial in
ttrcourse. We're this the chse they would, in com
mercal view, bt but one nation much a. the scvo
raj districts composing particular nation; and the
theory would be applicable to the former rs 10 the
latter But this golden age Of free trade has not vet
arrived nor is there n SINGLE nation that has set Inc
example. No nation can, indeed safely do So until
reciprocity. Mt least. DO ensured 10 ~. Take for
proof, the familiar cnsr ofthc navigation cnoployed in
foreign commerce.. If aration adht singto the rule
Of never interposrg countervaing protection Of It's
ves5cls admits foreign vessels into s ports free Of du
ty, whilst It's vessels arc subject TO duty in for
cgn ports, the ruinous effect il 80 obvions that the
Varmcst advocate for the theory IN question must
shrink from a DnireT'dl application oft.
a nation leaving nc foreign trudo, in all casrs 10
regulate ITSELF might soon end it regulated by other
nations, into subservicncy 70 foreign interest Tn
tho interval between the peace Of 1898 end the cytab
llshmont Of the present Constitution Of the United
States the want OF general authority TO rcrrlatc
trade - known 10 have had this copse dIcuce. And
have not The preensons and policy lIttcrly exhibited
by Great Britain given warning ola like result from
remuneration Of MI contcryaipg regulations on the
part Of the United StatcsS We're aho permitted Nv,
comforting certain portions NJ Der domain the name
Of Colonies TO open from these trade for herself 10
foreign countries und 20 exclude, nc the snmo time
reciprocal trade to ouch Colonies by forcirn conn.
tTes the use 70 be made ofthe monopoly need not bc
traced. Is character win be placed in lust relief bv
supposIng that one Of the Colonial Islands instead OF
ts prcAt distance, Happened 10 be in the vicinity Of
Great Britain; or that Of the Ieands In that vi
unity should receive the nnnc and be regarded in the
tg6t Of Colony, with the peculiar privileges claim,
Cd Tor Colonies. Is Il not manifest That in this case
tho favored Island might be made the sole medium Of
the Commercial intercourse with forcirn nations and
tho parent country thence enjoy every essential adj
VANTAGE % the toruJs Of It, which you'd flow from
40 tg,rccPocat trlc !fum cs oshrr Rc.ts, with o.hcr
nsl0ns!