James Madison to Robert Walsh (January 11, 1820)

Montpr. Jany 11. 1820.

It is far from my purpose to resume a subject on which I have perhaps already exceeded the proper limits. But having spoken with so confident a recollection of the meaning attached by the Convention to the term "migration" which seems to be an important hinge in the argument, I may be permitted merely to remark that Mr. Wilson,1 with the proceedings of that assembly fresh on his mind, distinctly applies the term to persons coming to the U. S. from abroad, (see his printed speech p. 59): and that a consistency of the passage cited from the Fœderalist with my recollections, is preserved by the discriminating term "beneficial" added to "voluntary emigrations from Europe to America"

[Footnotes as included or written by Farrand]