第110章

WhatatreasurewillbefoundinGeneralWashington’scabinet，whenitshallpassintothehandsofascandidafriendtotruthashewashimself！Whennolonger，likeCaesar’snotesandmemorandumsinthehandsofAnthony，itshallbeopentothehighpriestsoffederalismonly，andgarbledtosaysomuch，andnomore，assuitstheirviews！

Withrespecttohisfarewelladdress，totheauthorshipofwhich，itseems，thereareconflictingclaims，Icanstatetoyousomefacts。Hehaddeterminedtodeclinere-electionattheendofhisfirstterm，andsofardetermined，thathehadrequestedMr。

Madisontoprepareforhimsomethingvaledictory，tobeaddressedtohisconstituentsonhisretirement。Thiswasdone，buthewasfinallypersuadedtoacquiesceinasecondelection，towhichnoonemorestrenuouslypressedhimthanmyself，fromaconvictionoftheimportanceofstrengthening，bylongerhabit，therespectnecessaryforthatoffice，whichtheweightofhischaracteronlycouldeffect。

When，attheendofhissecondterm，hisValedictorycameout，Mr。

Madisonrecognizedinitseveralpassagesofhisdraught，severalothers，wewerebothsatisfied，werefromthepenofHamilton，andothersfromthatofthePresidenthimself。TheseheprobablyputintothehandsofHamiltontoformintoawhole，andhenceitmayallappearinHamilton’shand-writing，asifitwereallofhiscomposition。

Ihavestatedabove，thattheoriginalobjectsofthefederalistswere，1st，towarpourgovernmentmoretotheformandprinciplesofmonarchy，and，2d，toweakenthebarriersoftheStategovernmentsascoordinatepowers。Inthefirsttheyhavebeensocompletelyfoiledbytheuniversalspiritofthenation，thattheyhaveabandonedtheenterprise，shrunkfromtheodiumoftheiroldappellation，takentothemselvesaparticipationofours，andunderthepseudo-republicanmask，arenowaimingattheirsecondobject，andstrengthenedbyunsuspectingorapostaterecruitsfromourranks，areadvancingfasttowardsanascendancy。Ihavebeenblamedforsaying，thataprevalenceofthedoctrinesofconsolidationwouldonedaycallforreformationor_revolution_。IanswerbyaskingifasingleStateoftheUnionwouldhaveagreedtotheconstitution，haditgivenallpowerstotheGeneralGovernment?IfthewholeoppositiontoitdidnotproceedfromthejealousyandfearofeveryState，ofbeingsubjectedtotheotherStatesinmattersmerelyitsown?AndifthereisanyreasontobelievetheStatesmoredisposednowthanthen，toacquiesceinthisgeneralsurrenderofalltheirrightsandpowerstoaconsolidatedgovernment，oneandundivided?

Yourequestmeconfidentially，toexaminethequestion，whethertheSupremeCourthasadvancedbeyonditsconstitutionallimits，andtrespassedonthoseoftheStateauthorities?Idonotundertakeit，mydearSir，becauseIamunable。Ageandthewaneofmindconsequentonit，havedisqualifiedmefrominvestigationssosevere，andresearchessolaborious。Anditisthelessnecessaryinthiscase，ashavingbeenalreadydonebyotherswithalogicandlearningtowhichIcouldaddnothing。OnthedecisionofthecaseofCohens_vs_。TheStateofVirginia，intheSupremeCourtoftheUnitedStates，inMarch，1821，JudgeRoane，underthesignatureofAlgernonSidney，wrotefortheEnquireraseriesofpapersonthelawofthatcase。Iconsideredthesepapersmaturelyastheycameout，andconfessthattheyappearedtometopulverizeeverywordwhichhadbeendeliveredbyJudgeMarshall，oftheextra-judicialpartofhisopinion；andallwasextra-judicial，exceptthedecisionthattheactofCongresshadnotpurportedtogivetothecorporationofWashingtontheauthorityclaimedbytheirlotterylaw，ofcontrollingthelawsoftheStateswithintheStatesthemselves。Butunabletoclaimthatcase，hecouldnotletitgoentirely，butwentongratuitouslytoprove，thatnotwithstandingtheeleventhamendmentoftheconstitution，aState_could_bebroughtasadefendant，tothebarofhiscourt；andagain，thatCongressmightauthorizeacorporationofitsterritorytoexerciselegislationwithinaState，andparamounttothelawsofthatState。Icitethesumandresultonlyofhisdoctrines，accordingtotheimpressionmadeonmymindatthetime，andstillremaining。Ifnotstrictlyaccurateincircumstance，itissoinsubstance。ThisdoctrinewassocompletelyrefutedbyRoane，thatifhecanbeanswered，Isurrenderhumanreasonasavainanduselessfaculty，giventobewilder，andnottoguideus。AndImentionthisparticularcaseasoneonlyofseveral，becauseitgaveoccasiontothatthoroughexaminationoftheconstitutionallimitsbetweentheGeneralandStatejurisdictions，whichyouhaveaskedfor。Thereweretwootherwritersinthesamepaper，underthesignaturesofFletcherofSaltoun，andSomers，who，inafewessays，presentedsomeveryluminousandstrikingviewsofthequestion。AndtherewasaparticularpaperwhichrecapitulatedallthecasesinwhichitwasthoughtthefederalcourthadusurpedontheStatejurisdictions。TheseessayswillbefoundintheEnquirersof1821，fromMaythe10thtoJulythe13th。Itisnotinmypresentpowertosendthemtoyou，butifRitchiecanfurnishthem，Iwil