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Writings of James Madison, Volume 4
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To Richard Rush.
Montpellier, Jan. 17, 1829.
DEAR SIR,—I have received your very kind letter of the 10th. The commendations you bestow on those relating to the Tariff, belong rather to what so pregnant and important a subject ought to have made them, than to what they are. They were written to a friend who wished to avail himself of the presumed result of my better opportunities of elucidating the question, and whom I considered as needing such an outline only of topics and references as might be filled up by the researches, developments, and reflections of which he was himself very capable. I may mention that though the letters were finally published with my assent, it was given with an understanding that such a use was not to be made of them until the presidential struggle should be over, and with it the possibility of a misconstruction that might impute inconsistency to the writer, and defeat any good tendency the publication might otherwise have.
That there should be a difference of opinion on the policy of legislative encouragement in any form to manufacturing industry, was to be expected. But that a constitutional power to encourage it through the custom-house should at this day be denied, was what I certainly had not anticipated. Nor was I less surprised at the rapid growth than at the birthplace of the doctrine that would convert the Federal Government into a mere league, which would quickly throw the States back into a chaos, out of which, not order a second time, but lasting disorders of the worst kind, could not fail to grow. There are, however, such excellent talents and so much of personal worth mingled with these aberrations, that we may hope they will not be of long continuance. Opinions whose only root is in the passions, must wither as the subsiding of these withdraws the necessary pabulum.
It affords us great pleasure to have the pledge from Mrs. Rush that we are not to be finally disappointed of the visit so long expected. In the meantime, and at all times, be assured of our affectionate regards and all our best wishes.
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Chicago: James Madison Jr., "To Richard Rush.," Writings of James Madison, Volume 4 in James Madison, Letters and Other Writings of James Madison, 4 Vols. (Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott & Co.), Pp.5-6 Original Sources, accessed February 12, 2025, http://www.originalsources.com/Document.aspx?DocID=GXH7K1BSU5DY2I6.
MLA: Madison, James, Jr. "To Richard Rush." Writings of James Madison, Volume 4, in James Madison, Letters and Other Writings of James Madison, 4 Vols. (Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott & Co.), Pp.5-6, Original Sources. 12 Feb. 2025. http://www.originalsources.com/Document.aspx?DocID=GXH7K1BSU5DY2I6.
Harvard: Madison, J, 'To Richard Rush.' in Writings of James Madison, Volume 4. cited in , James Madison, Letters and Other Writings of James Madison, 4 Vols. (Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott & Co.), Pp.5-6. Original Sources, retrieved 12 February 2025, from http://www.originalsources.com/Document.aspx?DocID=GXH7K1BSU5DY2I6.
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