" is the property of their rulers; nor can they exer "cife or refume it, unless it be abused. It is of im→ portance to circulate this idea, as it leads to order "and good government.

"The people of America have miftaken the meaning of the word fovereignty: hence each State pretends to be fovereign. In Europe, it is applied only to thofe States which poffefs the power of making war and peace-of forming treaties, and "the like. As this power belongs only to Congrefs, they are the only fovereign power in the United " States.

"We commit a fimilar miftake in our ideas of the "word independent. No individual State, as fuch, bas any claim to independence. She is independent only in a union with her fifter States in Congress."

By paltry fubterfuges like thefe did this man, and feveral others, who, like him, had been the most malicious rebels, and the most foul calumniators of the British King, Nation, and Government, endeavour to extract from the minds of the people, the poifon which themselves had infufed. Some few might, poffibly, be reconciled to the contemplated meafure, by fuch flimfy devices; but the far greater number and more refpectable part of the nation, gave their confent and their aid, from a conviction of the neceffity of an efficient fyftem, to which no fmall part of them joined a hope, that the new Government would very nearly, if not quite, resemble the Government of England, to which experience had increafed their attachment.

After the fubject had for fome time been difcuffed in the newspapers, the State Legislatures began to take it up, having previously taken care to procure addreffes to themselves from the people, requesting them fo to do. An addrefs for this end, prefented by fome of the people in Virginia, was worded thus: ." As

"As Citizens of the United States, we cannot ❝ remain unconcerned fpectators of the alarming "picture of national diftrefs, prefented by Congrefs "to the world, in their late addrefs; we are far from condemning their unreferved communication. If "expedients are the refources of the weak, fecrecy is the cloak of the bafe mind. We with they "had gone farther, and proposed a radical cure for sc a radical evil. The confederal constitution, whilft "it presents a comedy to the reft of the world, will prove in the end a tragedy to ourselves, and our "diftrefs will be attended with so much ridicule, that we shall lose the confolation of pity.

Government without coercion, is a propofition "at once fo abfurd and self-contradictory, that the "idea creates a confufion of the understanding-it "is form without fubftance-at beft a body without "a foul. If men would act right, Government of all "kinds would be ufelefs-if States or Nations, who "are but affemblages of men, would do right, there "would be no wars or diforder in the universe. "Bad as individuals are, States are worse."Clothe men with public authority, and almost "univerfally they confider themfelves as liberated "from the obligations of moral rectitude, because "they are no longer amenable to juftice.

"Congrefs, with a prefs, during the life of paper # money did wonders. Since it naturally died, "they have had the power of emitting bills and borrowing money, without funds to gain credit; of raifing an army, and equipping a navy, without "the means of building a fhip, or fubfifting a fol"dier; of fending ambaffadors, who divulge our "diftrefs abroad, and render our poverty more fplen"didly confpicuous, making treaties, which they "cannot enforce the execution of, and with nations "who can derive every advantage from us better

"without

"without them; and finally, they prefent them"felves a fpectacle fo ludicrous, that we cannot help "being diverted at our own calamities.

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"The melioration of a conftitution, founded on "fuch falfe and incompatible principles, feems in every view almoft impoffible; but expedients pro"pofed, which require the unanimous concurrence "of thirteen feparate Legiflatures, differing in inte"refts, diftinct in habits, and oppofite from preju"dices, have fo repeatedly failed, that they no longer "furnish a ray of hope. We pray therefore for the day when we fhall fee a National Convention fit,

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compofed of the beft and ableft men in the Union, "a majority of whom fhall be invefted with the "power of altering it. It is now fo bad as to defy "the malice and ingenuity of fortune to make it "worfe."

After several fruitless attempts to form a National Convention, composed of deputies from all the thirteen States, one was at laft affembled at Annapolis, in Maryland, to which delegates were fent from every one, Rhode Island excepted, which continued refractory for a long time, notwithstanding threats like thefe:" Rhode Island has refufed to co-operate "in this bufinefs. From her antifederal difpofition "nothing better could have been expected. To "that State it is owing that the continental impost "lias not taken place. To her may be charged the "poverty of the foldiers of the late army, the heavy

taxes of our citizens, and the embarraffed ftate of "the public finances. It is, however, fincerely "hoped and wifhed, that her diffent will never "more be permitted to defeat any federal measure. Rather let her be dropped out of the Union, or apportioned to the different States that furround her." It was an atrocious calumny to accufe Rhode Island of the crime of having caufed the heavy taxes which preffed upon the people. Thofe taxes arofe out of

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the

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the rebellion, into which Rhode Island had been dragged by Maffachufetts. Nor was it very confiftent with thofe notions of liberty, of unalienable rights, and perfect independence, which had been fo long and fo loudly inculcated, to compel her to join in what the did not approve of, upon pain of being dropped out of the Union," or "apportioned to the different States furrounding her." But Rhode Island was fmall and weak; circumftances quite fufficient to encourage the other twelve States to act towards her with infolence and injustice. They did, however, forbear from fuch conduct. Leaving her to feel the fatal effects of her obftinacy,' they proceeded to form a Federal Conftitution. The Convention of Deputies met for the purpose, and chofe General Wathington for their Prefident, on the 14th of May, 1797. The feffion closed on the 17th of September, in the fame year, when the Conftitution, as it now ftands, was agreed upon, and prefented for the ratification of the respective States. When the firft Congrefs met under the new Conftitution, fome. amendments were added.

on.

Several of the States ratified with great reluctance; and it is not too much to fay, that a majority of them yielded from a dread of anarchy, rather than from their approbation of the new Conftitution. North Carolina, though fhe had fent Deputies to the Convention, refufed, for a long time, to ratify the inftrument which that Convention had agreed Rhode Island fill continued refractory; and though the Confiitution was, at laft, ratified by all the States, there fiill exifted, with refpect to it, that difference of opinion and difcontent, which fowed the feeds of thofe factions that have fince poifoned the felicity of a country, which, with fome abatements as to climate, might, by a well-poifed and efficient government, have been rendered one of the happieft in the world.

FEDERAL

FEDERAL CONSTITUTION.

We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, enfure domeftic tranquillity, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and fecure the bleffings of liberty to ourfelves and our pofterity, do ́ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

ARTICLE I. SECTION I.

All legislative powers herein granted, fhall be vefted in a Congrefs of the United States, which fhall confift of a Senate and a House of Representatives.

fen

SECTION II.

I. The House of Representatives fhall confift of members choevery fecond year, by the people of the feveral States: and the electors in each State fhali have the qualifications requifite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State Legislature.

II. No perfon fhall be a Reprefentative, who fhall not have attained to the age of twenty-five years, and been seven years a Citizen of the United States; and who fhall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that State in which he fhall be chofen.

III. Representatives and direct taxes fhall be apportioned among the feveral States which may be included in this Union, according to their refpective numbers, which fhall be determined by adding to the whole number of free perfons, including those bound to fervice for a term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other perfons. The actual enumeration fhall be made within three years after the first meeting of the Congrefs of the United States; and within every fubfequent term of ten years, in fuch manner as they fhall by law direct. The number of Representatives fhall not exceed one for every thirty thoufand; but each State fhail have at least one Reprefentative; and until fuch enumeration fhall be made, the State of New-Hamp shire shall be entitled to choose three; Maffachusetts eight; Rhode Ifland and Providence Plantations, one; Connecticut, five; NewYork, fix; New-Jerfey, four; Pennfylvania, eight; Delaware, one; Maryland, fix; Virginia, ten; North Carolina, five; South Carolina, five; and Georgia, three.

IV. When vacancies happen in the Reprefentation from any State, the executive authority thereof fhall iffue writs of elections to fill fur vacancies.

V. The House of Representatives fhall choofe their Speaker and other officers; and fhall have the fole power of impeachment. SECTION III.

I. The Senate of the United States fhall be compofed of two Senators from each State, chofen by the Legislature thereof, for fix years and each Senator fhall have one vote.