The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-01

federal compact, win be of short dura
tom
He was born in Virginia in 1751 and
died in that state in 1886. For most of
his life he resided in Orange county
and he was never outside of the
United States. His knowledge of the
principles and practice of governments
was most profound and his study of the
science of politics extremely extensive.
He was a quiet. modest, abstemious
man, with little humor. and was rather
stiff and formal in his ways. His
morals were unexceptionable and his
friends found him faithful under all
circumstances. 1t is remembered that
when first he stood for the Virginia
assembly he lost his election because
he refused TO win over voters to MS
support by treating. Though opposed
to any establishment of religion and
on one occasion largely instrumental IN
preventing Virginia from laying tax
in support of churches, his own piety
was devout. His first act in public
life, in the Virginia convention of lIi6,
which instructed her delegates to pro-
pose independence, was to procure
change in the proposed bill OF rights
so that it should not read AL men
should enjoy the fullest liberation IN
the exercise of religion, according TO
..all men are equally entitled to the
free exercise of religion" He had been
trained by DR.. Witherspoon at Prince
ton and had learned logical methods
and keen synnpathieS with the move
ment to break away from Great Britain.
The state early found his worth and
made him member, Of the council OF
state in 1777 and delegate in continer.-
tai congress in l779- He served there
rir1er
period.
When he returned home he. spent
some time reading law Though never
admitted to the bar, he became deeply
yersed in the law ard had been APP
pointed as early as 1Ti9 a member OF a
committee to codify the laws of Viz
ginia From his retirement he was
called in 1854 to become a member of
the house of delegates. He was much
interested in the preservation of the
states honor by securing the payment
of debts owed to British subjects and
paid much attention to improved COM
munication with the west II 1t be true
that a desire to have federal reguia-
ton of commerce and federal power
to tax were the causes OF the constitu-
ton il is also true that better COM
munication with the west and the
navigation of the Potomac river were
prepared at the time ii came into be-
ing. The stream, flowing between
Maryland and Virginia, belonged to the
former state, but as there were points
of entry on the southern bank. II was
necessary for both states to join In
any satisfactory commercial reguia-
lions OF river traffic. The mutual
appointment of commissioners TO dis
cuss these points was urged by Madi-
son. and was made by both state legis-
latures. On March Is, 1888. the COM
missioners, by Washington's invitation.
met at Mount Vernon and agreed on
renort to be referred to their states.
They also suggested that there be uni
form legislation by Maryland ana VIZ
ginia with reference to duties on I'M
ports and regulations of commerce ana
Of the currency. 1t was also susgesteu
that commissioners be appointed an
nuallv to meet and discuss such points.
Maryland acted first and recommend
ed that Pennsylvania and Delaware
be invited to attend second con-
ference. as their commercial interests
were so closely allied TO those OF the
two comforting states. Here was Madi-
sons chance. He had already con-
tended in the Virginia Legislature that
tht only redress for the unsatisfactory
condition of commercial affairs was
uniform system of commercial regu-
latior. pervading all the states, enacted
by a common authority" and now
determined to endeavor to secure
convention of commissioners from all
the states to consider a uniform COM
mercial system and to endeavor 10 add
to the articles OF confederation an ar
ticle which would secure the power
of establishing such a system to the
federal government. Fearing that his
own known Nationalist sympathies
would arouse opposition. he secured the
Introduction of his resolution by Mr..
Tyler, a delegate who was not thought
to be strong federal sympathizer. The