Documentary History of the First Federal Congress
ALS, James Madison Papers, Library of Congress. Written from "Belmont," Peters's estate outside Philadelphia.
Richard Peters to James Madison (excerpt)
5 July 1789
[P.S.]
P.S. I see you intend that the Ministers at the Heads of Departments should communicate with Congress immediately. Would it not be more proper that they should be Auxiliaries to the President & all Communications come thro' him as well as all Orders to subordinates pass from him? This may seem trifling but I think I perceive a democratical Jealousy in Members of the House as to the Presidents Powers which induces them to make his Agency in Measures as little necessary as possible. I confess myself more afraid of the popular Part of our Government than of any Exercise of Power elsewhere.
Recommended citation: Documentary History of the First Federal Congress of the United States of America, ed. Charlene Bickford, et al. (Columbia, S.C.: Model Editions Partnership, 2002). XML version based on unpublished letters. http://adh.sc.edu [Accessed (supply date here)]
Copyright 1999. Documentary History of the First Federal Congress Project. All rights reserved.