Send a Quote Enter a brief message. SendOk2 “It is very certain that [the commerce clause] grew out of the abuse of the power by the importing States in taxing the non-importing, and was intended as a negative and preventive provision against injustice among the States themselves, rather than as a power to be used for the positive purposes of the General Government.” ~ James Madison (1751-1836), Father of the Constitution for the USA, 4th US PresidentSource: letter dated February 13, 1829