The writings of James Madison, comprising his public papers and his private correspondence, including numerous letters and documents now for the first time printed. |
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TO MARTIN VAN BUREN. |
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 | The writings of James Madison, |  |
TO MARTIN VAN BUREN.
Dr. Sir, Perceiving that I am indebted to you
for a Copy of the Report to the Senate relating to
the "Colonization of persons of Colour" I return
the thanks due to your politeness. The Document
contains much interesting matter, and denotes an
able hand in the preparation of it. I find it more
easy however, to accede to its conclusion agst. the
Power claimed for Congs. than to some of the
positions & reasonings employed on the occasion.
You will not I am sure, take it amiss if I here point
to an error of fact in your "observations on Mr. Foot's
amendment."[100]
It struck me when first reading
for the copy with which you favored me. The
threatening contest in the Convention of 1787 did not,
as you supposed, turn on the degree of power to be
granted to the Federal Govt. but on the rule by which
the States should be represented and vote in the Govt.;
the smaller States insisting on the rule of equality in
all respects; the larger on the rule of proportion to
inhabitants; and the compromize which ensued was
that which established an equality in the Senate,
and an inequality in the House of Representatives.
The contests & compromises turning on the grants
of power, tho' very important in some instances, were
Knots of a less "Gordian" character.
The speech was on the right of the Vice-President to call a senator
to order for words spoken in debate. He said: "... But the leading
division in the Convention was between those who, distrustful of the
States, sought to abridge their powers, that those of the new government
might be enlarged; and those who, on their part, distrustful,
perhaps jealous of the government about to be created, were as strenuous
to retain all powers not indispensably necessary to enable the
federal government to discharge the specified and limited duties to be
imposed upon it."—Substance of Mr. Van Buren's observations on Mr.
Foot's amendment to the Rules of the Senate. Washington, 1828.
| The writings of James Madison, | |