61From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 14 September 1789 (Madison Papers)
I was favd. on saturday with yours of the 2d. instant. The Judiciary is now under consideration. I view it as you do, as defective both in its general structure, and many of its particular regulations. The attachment of the Eastern members, the difficulty of substituting another plan, with the consent of those who agree in disliking the bill, the defect of time &c. will however prevent any...
62From James Madison to Tench Coxe, 18 September 1789 (Madison Papers)
Your favor of the 9th. was not received till it was too late to be answered by the last mail. I now beg you to accept my acknowledgments for it. The Newspaper paragraph to which it alludes discoloured much the remarks which it puts in my mouth. It not only omits the occasion which produced them, but interpolates personal reflections which I never meant, wch. could not properly be expressed,...
63From James Madison to George Washington, 8 March 1789 (Madison Papers)
We arrived here yesterday evening where we have met with Mr. Dawson just from New York. When he left it, 18 Representatives and 8 Senators had assembled. It is not certain when the deficiences will [be] made up. The most favorable conjectures postpone it to Monday Sev’-night. The members attending are cheifly from the Eastward. I do not learn that a single member except Mr. White is from a...
64From James Madison to Alexander Hamilton, 19 November 1789 (Madison Papers)
I was too much indisposed for some time after the receipt of your favor of the 12 Ocr. to comply with the request in it, and since my arrival here and recovery I have till now been without a conveyance to the post office. The supplemental funds which at present occur to me as on the whole most eligible are 1. An excise on home distilleries. If the tax can be regulated by the size of the Still...
65Notes for Speech in Congress, [ca. 9 April] 1789 (Madison Papers)
Notes on commercial policy Importance of right outset—more easy to limit—than unfetter—1. prove that generality—2. point out the exceptions— ⟨in liberty of trade⟩ 1 (a) ⟨between⟩ indivil. farmer & manufactu[r]er—do. Manufacr. & do —do. farmer & do— (b) county & village—village & village—county & County— (c) nation & nation—as to produce—to manufactures—to produce & manufactures—suppose each...
66From James Madison to George W. Smith, 15 August 1789 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. 15 August 1789. Acknowledged in Smith to JM, 22 Sept. 1789 . Discourages Smith’s hopes for a federal appointment.
67From James Madison to Edmund Randolph, 12 April 1789 (Madison Papers)
I am just favored with yours of the 27. Ulto. My last was sent from Alexandria, and as the receipt of it is not mentioned, I fear that it may have miscarried. I have not sooner written from this place, because I waited for an opportunity of collecting the features & complexion of the new Government, which in its legislative capacity never became practically organized till the 6th. instant; and...
68From James Madison to Wilson Cary Nicholas, 18 July 1789 (Madison Papers)
I inclose herewith the only printed addition which has been made to the sheets of the Journal forwarded by Mr. Hopkins. The bill imposing duties on imports having been published in all the Newspapers as it finally passed both houses I do not inclose it. The bill imposing duties on tonnage has since become a law in the hands of the President, but is not yet in print. The clauses discriminating...
69From James Madison to Benjamin Hawkins, 5 May 1789 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. 5 May 1789. Acknowledged in Hawkins to JM, 1 June 1789 . Encloses draft of the House of Representatives’ address to President Washington.
70Salaries of Judges, [18 September] 1789 (Madison Papers)
Goodhue moved to strike $4,500, the proposed salary of the chief justice of the Supreme Court, and insert $3,000 ( Gazette of the U.S. , 23 Sept. 1789). Mr. Madison Said, he did not wish to trouble the committee with a recapitulation of observations respecting the first abilities; but he would observe, that it ought to be considered, that these judges must make a new acquisition of legal...
71Removal Power of the President, [22 June] 1789 (Madison Papers)
The bill establishing a department of foreign affairs was still being debated in the Committee of the Whole. On 19 June the motion to strike out the clause, “to be removable from office by the President,” was defeated. The objection arose, however, that this clause had the appearance of being a grant of power by the legislature. To avoid this difficulty, Benson moved that whenever the...
72Amendments to the Constitution, [17 August] 1789 (Madison Papers)
Tucker moved to strike out, “No state shall infringe the equal rights of conscience, nor the freedom of speech, or of the press, nor of the right of trial by jury in criminal cases.” Mr. Madison Conceived this to be the most valuable amendment on the whole list; if there was any reason to restrain the government of the United States from infringing upon these essential rights, it was equally...
73From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 21 August 1789 (Madison Papers)
The last 8 or 10 days have been spent on the subject of amendts. The work has been extremely difficult and fatiguing, as well on account of the dilatory artifices of which some of the antifederal members are suspected, as of the diversity of opinions & fancies inseparable from such an Assembly as Congress. At present there is a prospect of finishing to day, the plan so far as it lies with the...
74Location of the Capital, [21 September] 1789 (Madison Papers)
The seat of government bill was under consideration in the Committee of the Whole. Mr. Madison Felt himself compelled to move for striking out that part of the bill, which provided, that the temporary residence of congress should continue at New-York; as he conceived it irreconcileable with the spirit of the constitution. If it was not from viewing it in this light, he should have given the...
75From James Madison to Edmund Randolph, 10 May 1789 (Madison Papers)
Whilst I thank you for your favr of the 23d. Ult: I must remind you that it does not contain the promised information on the Case of the French Consul here. I am led to it by being myself just reminded by him of the omission on my part. The plan of an immediate temporary impost was what first occurred on the subject. It is not yet abandoned, but the practicability is questionable. The plan of...
76From James Madison to Tench Coxe, 24 June 1789 (Madison Papers)
Accept my acknowledgments for your favor of the 18th. instant. The printed remarks inclosed in it are already I find in the Gazettes here. It is much to be wished that the discon[ten]ted part of our fellow Citizens could be reconciled to the Government they have opposed, and by means as little as possible unacceptable to those who approve the Constitution in its present form. The amendments...
77Amendments to the Constitution, [18 August] 1789 (Madison Papers)
The last proposition of the select committee read: “The powers not delegated by this Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively.” Tucker moved to insert “expressly” before “delegated.” Mr. Madison Objected to this amendment, because it was impossible to confine a government to the exercise of express powers. There must necessarily be admitted...
78Notes for Speech in Congress, [ca. 8 June] 1789 (Madison Papers)
Reasons urging amendts. 1. to prove fedts. friends to liberty 2. remove remaining inquietudes 3. bring in N. C. & R. Island. 4. to improve the Constitution Reasons for moderating the plan 1. No stop if door opend to theoretic amendts. 2. as likely to make worse as better till trial 3. insure passage by ⅔ of Congs. & ¾ of Sts. Objectns. of 3 kinds vs the Constn: 1. vs. the theory of its...
79From James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, 9 May 1789 (Madison Papers)
My last was of the 29th. March. A few days ago I had the pleasure of yours of the 12. Jany. I thank you for your attention to the works of the Abbè Barthelemy and the Marquis Condorcet, And wish much that your attempts to procure me a genuine copy of the King of Prussia’s may succeed. I send you herewith the first No. of the Congressional Register, which will give you some idea of the...
80From James Madison to Edmund Pendleton, 23 September 1789 (Madison Papers)
The pressure of unfinished business has suspended the adjournment of Congs. till saturday next. Among other articles which required it was the plan of amendments, on which the two Houses so far disagreed as to require conferences. It will be impossible I find to prevail on the Senate to concur in the limitation on the value of appeals to the Supreme Court, which they say is unnecessary, and...
81Location of the Capital, [26 September] 1789 (Madison Papers)
The Senate amended the residence bill by substituting for the Susquehanna site a district adjoining Philadelphia, including Germantown. Mr. Madison . However different our sentiments, with respect to the place most proper for the seat of the federal government, I presume we shall all agree, that a right decision is of great importance; and that a satisfactory decision is of equal moment to the...
82From James Madison to George Washington, 19 March 1789 (Madison Papers)
On our arrival here we found that the number of Representatives on the spot had been stationary from the second day of the Meeting. Mr. Page, Mr. Lee, & myself raised it to 21. and Mr. S. Griffin and Mr. Moore have been since added. The number of attending Senators continues at 8. When a Quorum will be made up in either House, rests on vague conjecture, rather than on any precise information....
83Tonnage Duties, [27 June] 1789 (Madison Papers)
The Senate proposed to strike the clause in the tonnage bill providing for discrimination against vessels from countries which had no commercial treaty with the United States. On this clause it was observed, by Mr. Madison, that nothing had been urged at the conference, by the managers on the part of the senate, in favor of this amendment, but what had been repeated over and over again, by the...
84Import Duties, [16 April] 1789 (Madison Papers)
White suggested the duty on hemp be fixed at seventy-five cents per hundredweight. Mr. Madison Feared 75 cents was too high; he was doubtful whether it would not have been as well to have left out cordage; for if a duty on hemp was impolitic because it burthened navigation, so also was that on cordage. He by no means approved of measures injurious to ship-building, which he considered in a...
85Import Duties, [18 April] 1789 (Madison Papers)
FitzSimons proposed duties on teas that discriminated between those imported from India and China in American ships and those imported in foreign vessels or from countries other than India or China. Mr. Madison Felt a reluctance in being obliged to state his reasons why he doubted the policy of the proposed measure. What, said he, is its object? It is not to add to the revenue, for it will in...
86Title for the President, [11 May] 1789 (Madison Papers)
The debate concerned a title for the executive office. Should the House appoint a committee to confer with a Senate counterpart on the proper title for the president? The House had already indicated its disapproval of majestic titles to the Senate, but the senators refused to accept this decision. A Senate committee had recommended on 9 May that the president be addressed as “ His Highness the...
87Treasury Department, [29 June] 1789 (Madison Papers)
Mr. Madison Observed, that the committee had gone through the bill without making any provision respecting the tenure by which the comptroller is to hold his office. He thought it was a point worthy of consideration, and would therefore submit a few observations upon it. It will be necessary, said he, to consider the nature of this office, to enable us to come to a right decision on the...
88Import Duties, [17 April] 1789 (Madison Papers)
The duty on salt was under consideration. Mr. Madison . From the nature of the arguments made use of on this occasion, it is necessary to proceed with some circumspection, though not to depart from that policy which can be justified by reason and experience. I am willing to trust a great deal to the good sense, justice and penetration of our fellow citizens for support; and though I think it...
89From James Madison to the Reverend James Madison, 19 April 1789 (Madison Papers)
Letter not found. 19 April 1789. Acknowledged in the Reverend James Madison to JM, 5 May 1789 . Reports that Congress has begun its work and that there is less disagreement “between the different Parties” than he had expected.
90From James Madison to George Washington, 4 January 1790 (Madison Papers)
After being detained 8 or 10 days beyond the intended commencement of my Journey, by the critical illness of my mother, I am now subjected to a further delay by an attack on my own health. A slight complaint in my bowels which I first felt on the day of my arrival here (friday last) very suddenly took the form of a pretty severe dysentery. With the aid of Docr. Stuart who has been good eno’ to...