61. The object in delegating to Congress the power to regulate commerce—a delegation without limitations—was to insure uniformity against discriminating State legislation.[155] The large and fundamental purposes of the people of the United States in establishing a national government are cited in the Preamble to the Constitution. Unless the power to regulate commerce with foreign nations and among the several States was delegated to Congress, these fundamental purposes could not be realized.[156] It is a nice question: When has the commercial power of the United States over a commodity ceased and the power of the State commenced? The Supreme Court answers: The federal commercial power continues until the commodity has ceased to be the subject of discriminating legislation by reason of its foreign character. That power protects it even after it has entered the State from any burdens imposed by reason of its foreign origin.[157] Any article brought into a State, as an article of commerce, from another State,—that is from another political jurisdiction possesses “foreign character.” The principle involved here may thus be stated: (1) The Constitution having given Congress power to regulate commerce with foreign nations and among the several States, that power is necessarily exclusive whenever the subjects of it are national in their character, or admit only of one uniform system, or plan of regulation. (2) Where the power to regulate is exclusively in Congress, the failure of Congress to make express regulations indicates its will that the subject shall be left free from any restrictions or impositions; and any regulation of the subject by the States, except only in matters of local concern, is repugnant to such freedom. (3) The only way in which commerce between the States can be legitimately affected by State laws is when, by virtue of its police power, and by its jurisdiction over persons and property within its limits, a State provides for the security of the lives, limbs, health, and comfort of persons and the protection of property. But these police regulations, affecting commerce only incidentally,—such as (for example) the establishment and regulation of highways, canals, railroads, and wharves by taxation as forming part of the mass of property within the State,—must be strictly internal regulations, not imposing taxes on persons or property passing through the State, or coming into it for a temporary purpose and forming no part of the common mass of property within its jurisdiction. Any State regulation which discriminates adversely to the persons or property of other States is an unauthorized interference with the power of Congress over the subject.[158]