James Madison Papers

James Madison to Edward Everett, 10 September 1830

Montpellier Sepr. 10. 1830

Dear Sir

Since my letter in which I expressed a belief that there was no ground for supposing that the Kentucky Resolutions of -99 in which the term "nullification appears, were drawn by Mr. Jefferson, I infer from a manuscript paper of his, just noticed, containing the term, that altho’ he had, probably no agency in the draft, nor even any knowledge of it at the time, yet that the term was borrowed from that source. It may not be safe therefore to rely on the letter of Mr. J--n to Mr. Nicholas as a proof that he had no connection with or responsibility for the use of such a term on such an occasion. Still I believe that he did not attach to it the idea of a Constitutional right in the sense of S. Carolina, but that of a natural one in cases justifying an appeal to it. With cordial salutations

James Madison

RC (MHi: Everett Collection); draft (DLC).

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