Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-01-20
LETTERS OF Mr.. MADISON.

n. fb< eonsffufioaaLfy of a Protective Tariff.
Tn. psmphet containing these letters document,
and ought TO be printed II comprises two letters from
that purs and truly eminent statesman, James Madison to
Joseph c. CsbeI, ESQ., at the time member OF the Sc
nate OF Virginia. The first letter dated September 18TH
ls2s-the second October 3Oh. 1928 In the first, Mr.
NJ sketches the grounds Of the confident opinion he
had before expressed that the power in Congress TO i'm
po.e Tariff for the Of was
among powers vested that body elf Congress have
the power The ssys) annhiated for the nation
apocy without example in any other nation, and not
within the Of the solitary in our own The
example alluded to- the prohibition Of Tar exports,
which resulted from apparent mpossibity OF raising
mode from the States proportioned To the
ability pay 1.-THE ability Of being derived IN
great their but from their hshe
,ies from their iregh and from commerce at large, in
some Of its branches altogether external TO the United
States the profits all which, being invisible and inan
gible, would escape exports tax on imports,
on other hand being consumption, which is
proportion the ability OF the consumers, whencesOeNtr
derived, free from that inequality
Mr. Madison refers a fact drawn irOm the debates In
the first session under the Constitution, wheh
many members the Convention which had framed
instrument and OF the Stale Conventions which rai
he'd iI-and these also consisting OF members who had
opposed and who bad ePoused the Constitution IA ITS seu
al form namely, that the pOHT toas not denied ~
any Of tLsm! Aud he brings notice tho further fact,
that members from VusiHs particular, well OF the
Anti Federal Of the Federal party, did hesitate
propose duues and sssssst prohibitions in favor of
several arees Of her production. BY duty
proposed mineral coal in favor OF the Virginia pitt; by
snother hemp; and by 4 third, prohibition even OF
foreign beef, suggested matter Of sound policy.
Mr.. NJ refers . the uniform and practical
given power for forty years by the General Govern.
Tnen-wIth concurrence sequiescence Of every Stale
Government throughout the Perod-and through all
the vicissitudes OF party.
But, IN spite OF all this authority aud experience,
have dern Statesmen setting themselves up the
erPounders Of the Constitution ana scouting the wisdom
VI the trainers OF the Government as OF weight what
in the settlement OF such question. Well does Mr.
NJ contend that such authority safer and better than
opinion Of every Legislature heated may be by
the strife OF parties warped, often happens BY
eager pursuit OF avorte object. II the
prevail Says he) every legislative opinion might
make Constitution; the foot Of every Chan
cellor would make new standard OF measure.
Mr.. NJ refers To the npracucabty Of separate regua.
tons 4, trade, and the resulting ssy OF general repu
iarons, of which no State sensible than Virgil
MIA He concludes by saying that exercise Of the
power by Congress- the members responsible their
constituency; whose right and duty it is in that all
other bring their the of Justice
and 1T the general good
But shall take the earliest repubish these
REORGANIZATION they of wisdom and true phi
losoPhy, which the general OF the nation will day
acknowledge be the only sound Interpretation Of the
Federal Constitution the subject Of protection Indeed
with the exception Of few hotheaded and conceited men,
who probably have read the history of the Federal
Compact the action of Congress under it, The pine-
pie conceded-and Of the clamor against what
is called the Back Tariff" is directed against its alleged
inequality But argument like that, in the face Of our
general prosperity under the measure, should have but little
weight with people disposed TO prefer practical results
meTe theores.