MADISON WAS DEEPLY
CONFLICTED ABOUT THE
NATIONAL REPUBLICAN EFFORT.
ON ONE HAND, HE SEEMED
TO ENCOURAGE IT.
BUT THEN, IN ONE OF THE
MORE FAITHFUL MOMENTS OF HIS
DYING ADMINISTRATION, HE
VETOED THE BONUS BILL.
AND THE BONUS BILL WOULD HAVE
USE THE BONUS FROM THE BANK OF
THE UNITED STATES IN ORDER TO
SUPPORT INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
AND A NATIONAL PROGRAM
OF INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
AND MADISON SAYS, WELL, NOWHERE
IN THE CONSTITUTION DOES
IT SAY YOU CAN DO THAT.
CALHOUN, WHO HAD BEEN A MAJOR
PROPONENT OF THIS, AND THINKING
THAT HE WAS ENACTING MADISON'S
PROGRAM, WAS APPALLED.
AND SHOCKED.
THAT MADISON WOULD TURN
AGAINST HIS OWN PROGENY.
BUT, TO GIVE MADISON HIS
DUE, HE WAS CAUGHT ON
THE HORNS OF A DILEMMA.
AND THAT IS, HOW CAN YOU
MAINTAIN FIDELITY TO THE
CONSTITUTION AND AT THE SAME
TIME, A STRICTLY CONSTRUED
CONSTITUTION, IT SHOULD BE
SAID, AND AT THE SAME TIME
ESTABLISH A ROBUST GOVERNMENT
THAT WOULD BE CAPABLE OF
MEETING THE NEXT CHALLENGE.
WHAT BOTH JEFFERSON AND MADISON
THOUGHT ON THE QUESTION OF
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS IS THAT
THE STATES WOULD RECOGNIZE
THE NECESSITY TO AMEND THE
CONSTITUTION IN A WAY THAT
WOULD GIVE THE NATIONAL
GOVERNMENT THESE POWERS.
BUT, OF COURSE, THAT
NEVER HAPPENED.
AND THAT COULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED.
BUT THAT WAS THEIR DELUSION.
THAT WAS THEIR IDEA.
YES, WE NEED TO DO THIS, BUT
WE CAN ONLY DO IT WITH PROPER
CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY.
