PREFACE.

I PRESENT to the citizens of the United States an account of the proceedings which established the political institutions, from which have originated, and by which are maintained, their freedom and their prosperity. I purpose to show how, by a movement at first almost imperceptible, but increasing in the progress of time, until it assumed the attitude of independence, the Colonies of America became a Confederation, and finally a republic of States. I intend to exhibit the results of the deliberations of every convention or congress of the colonies and States, from that which assembled at Boston within the first half century of their settlement, to that which, in 1787, finally established the basis of our government. My object is not so much to give a detailed history of each particular step of our national progress, as to familiarize the people with the original principles of the government under which they now live. I endeavor to do this by offering to the public such a statement of the origin of our Constitution, and of the confederations, conventions, judicial decisions, and other papers which relate to its adoption and practical operation, as will convey a

clear idea of the elements of which our national polity is composed. And it need not be said, that the more widely and accurately the essential principles and the proper functions of the political institutions of a State become known to its members, the more enlightened will be the legislation emanating from those who make their laws, and the more just will be the administration of their laws, and consequently the more will their general welfare and prosperity be promoted.

In the hope that this volume will, in some degree, assist in the attainment of such results, and that its operation upon the minds of those who peruse it, may be productive of some benefit to the interests of our country, I venture to submit this work to the American people.

N. C. TOWLE.

WASHINGTON, D. C., Dec. 1, 1860.

CONTENTS.

I. CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES

INTRODUCTION

II. ANALYSIS OF THE CONSTITUTION, SHOWING THE

ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF EACH CLAUSE

PAGE

1

. 31

37

III. CLOSING PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONVENTION AND

CONSEQUENT ACTION OF CONGRESS .

245

1. RESOLUTIONS OF THE CONVENTION, reporting the Consti-

tution to Congress .

245

2. Letter of THE PRESIDENT OF THE CONVENTION, trans-

mitting the proceedings of the Convention and the new

Constitution, to the Congress of the Confederation .

3. RESOLUTIONs of the CongRESS, submitting the Constitu-

tion to the States for ratification

4. RESOLUTIONS OF THE CONGRESS, fixing the time for the

elections and for putting the new government into opera-

tion

246

247

248

IV. DOCUMENTS CONNECTED WITH THE PROCEEDINGS

OF THE FEDERAL CONVENTION

251

1. LETTER OF MR. MADISON TO MR. RANDOLPH, suggesting

an outline for a Constitution

252

2. MR. RANDOLPH'S PLAN, or outline, submitted to the Con-

vention at the opening of the session

255

3. MR. PATTERSON'S PLAN, offered as a substitute for Mr.

Randolph's

259

4. MR. PINCKNEY'S PLAN, submitted to the Convention at the

opening of its session.

262

269

6. General RESOLUTIONS; agreed to by the Convention and

referred to the Committee on Detail, on the 26th July. 271

7. DRAFT OF THE CONSTITUTION, as reported by the Com- *

mittee on Detail, Aug. 6, 1787

276

8. EXTRACTS FROM THE DEBATES ON THE SEVERAL GEN-

ERAL PROPOSITIONS

289

V. HISTORY OF THE COLONIAL CONFEDERATIONS . . 297

Introduction

297

1. ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION AND PERPETUAL UNION;

agreed to by the delegates in Congress, in 1777, and sub-

sequently ratified by all of the States

2. RESOLUTIONS OF THE LEGISLATURE OF NEW YORK, in

reference to the critical condition of the Confederacy, and

recommending the assembling of a General Convention of

the States, 1782

3. RESOLUTIONS OF THE LEGISLATURE OF VIRGINIA, ap-

pointing commissioners to meet commissioners from other

States, to take into consideration the trade of the United

States.

328

337

340

4. REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS who met at Annapolis,

Sept. 11, 1786, recommending that all the States should

appoint delegates to a general Convention, authorized to

devise provisions adequate to the exigencies of the Union 341

5. PROCEEDINGS IN CONGRESS, on the report of the Annap-

olis Commissioners, concluding with- .

345

6. THE RESOLUTION for assembling the Federal Convention. 347

7. EXTRACTS FROM THE ACTS OF THE STATE LEGISLA-

TURES, authorizing the appointment of delegates to the

Federal Convention, and showing the powers conferred

on them

348

VII. CESSION OF THE WESTERN TERRITORY, CLAIMED

BY SEVERAL OF THE STATES AS BEING WITHIN

THEIR CHARTERED LIMITS, TO THE UNITED

STATES

1. PRELIMINARY STATEMENT

350

350

2. INSTRUCTIONS OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND TO HER

Delegates in CONGRESS, on the subject of the Western

territory

351

3. RESOLUTIONS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE, on the

same subject

355

4. RESOLUTIONS OF CONGRESS, recommending to Virginia

and other States to forbear issuing warrants or grants for

unappropriated lands

356

5. ACT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, ceding to the United

States her claims to the Western territory

356

6. RESOLUTION OF CONGRESs, recommending to the States
which have claims to the Western lands, to pass such
laws as will quiet the other States

7. COMPACT BETWEEN THE ORIGINAL STATES and the

People and States to be formed in the Territory North-

west of the Ohio River, contained in the Ordinance of

1787

359

360