James Madison Jr letter to Edmund Pendleton, 19 April 1789

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New York, April 19, 1789.

DEAR SIR, My last was committed to Major Rogers, of your County, who embarked some days ago from this place for Virginia. I have been since favoured with yours of the 7th instant, and am much and truly gratified with the proof it contains of your good health.

We have not yet either the President or vice President on the ground. The former is expected in a few days. The latter, we are told, will certainly come in to-morrow evening. Preparations are making by the Inhabitants for the reception of both; for that of the former in a very splendid style.

The House of Representatives is still occupied with the impost. It is a subject which is not very simple in itself, and is rendered not a little difficult by the diversity of State regulations; by the total want of regulations in several States; by the case of Rhode Island and North Carolina, not yet parties to the Constitution; and by the law of Virginia disqualifying State officers, Judiciary, as well as others, from executing federal functions. The latter circumstance seems to threaten additional delay, since it may require some special provision of a Judiciary nature for cases of seizure,

Several vessels are just arrived from England. They report that the King was getting much better, and the nation flattered with a hope of his being soon able to resume the reins of Government. Should his recovery amount to a lucid interval only, and successive relapses mark his future situation, the case will become more singular and perplexing than ever.

Author:
1789

Source:
Letters and other writings of James Madison. Vol. I. 1769-1793. Philadelphia, J. B. Lippencott & Co, 1865, digitized by archive.org