Baloney. Then why even mention it? He could have simply said:
"Yet it is very certain that it 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."
The power to RCATSS includes its use for the positive purposes of the General Government".
If that is the case, then the use of the term "rather than" in the sentence renders it nonsensical.