believed the people of Pennsylvania [would] never agree to a representation of negroes.

After many days of fierce debate it was at last arranged that a slave should count as three-fifths of a man. This was the second compromise, or bargain, of the Constitution.

Again, many of the members felt that the slave trade should be stopped; said one:

It is inconsistent with the principles of the Revolution, and dishonorable to the American character. [On the other hand, South Carolina members said:] If the Convention thinks that North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia will ever agree to the plan, unless their right to import slaves be untouched, the expectation is vain. The people of those states will never be such fools as to give up so important an interest.

At last they agreed that the trade might go on until 1808, and that after that, no more slaves should be brought from Africa. The Constitution was now ready to sign. The aged Franklin made the last speech of the convention. He said:

I consent, sir, to this Constitution because I expect no better, and because I am not sure that it is not the best. The opinions I have had of its errors I sacrifice to the public good. I have never whispered a syllable of them abroad. Within these walls they were born and here they shall die.

Whilst the last members were signing, Doctor Franklin, looking towards the President's chair, at the back of which a rising sun happened to be painted, observed to a few members near him that painters had found it difficult to distinguish in their art a rising from a setting sun. I have, said he, often and often, in the course of the session, and the vicissitudes of my hopes and fears as to its issue, looked at that behind the President without being able to tell whether it was rising or setting; but now, at length, I have the happiness to know that it is a rising, and not a setting sun.196

STUDY ON 3.

1. How long did people talk about having a convention before they had one? 2. What hindrances did they meet in having it? 3. Why should Madison be called the Father of the Constitution? 4. Why should New Jersey want the states to have equal votes in the new government? 5. Why should Virginia feel that she ought to have more votes than New Jersey or Delaware? 6. How was the matter compromised? 7. What parties appeared in the convention in regard to slavery? 8. Suppose one state had 360,000 white inhabitants, and another had 120,000 white inhabitants and 133,340 slaves, how many delegates would the first state have in the House of Representatives by the first compromise of the Constitution? 9. How many would the second haye? 10. How would their delegates compare in the Senate? 11. Who in the convention showed a strong spirit of compromise? 12. What might have happened if these compromises had not been made? 13. In the last two compromises, what did the North give up? 14. What did she get? 15. What did the South give up? 16. What did she get? 17. What did the whole country gain by these compromises? 18. Which states were free and which were slave at the time of the signing of the Constitution? (See list at close of group.) [This may be used as two studies at discretion.]

We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquillity, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. Preamble of Constitution.

Parts and Powers of the Government.

What the gov

ernment was to be according to this new Constitution made by the Philadelphia Convention, may be seen from the following extracts from its Articles:

ARTICLE I. All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.

The House of Representatives shall be composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the several States. ... No person shall be a Representative who shall not have ... been seven years a citizen of the United States. . .

...

Representatives . . . shall be apportioned among the several States ... according to their respective numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole number of free persons . . . threefifths of all other persons. . .

...

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the legislature thereof, for six years. . .

...

No person shall be a Senator, who shall not have... been nine years a citizen of the United States. . . .

The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes [and] duties. . . ;

To borrow money.

To regulate commerce

To coin money ...;

To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for ing into execution the foregoing powers. . . .

carry

No State shall enter into any treaty, alliance, or confederation; . . . coin money; . . . or grant any title of nobility.

No State shall, without the consent of Congress. . . keep troops, or ships of war in time of peace, . . . or engage in war, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent danger as will not admit of delay.

ARTICLE II. The executive power shall be vested in a PresiIdent of the United States of America. He shall hold his office during the term of four years.

...

Before he enter on the execution of his office, he shall take the following oath or affirmation:

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."

The President shall be Commander-in-chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, . . . and

He shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties. . . .

He shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed.

ARTICLE III. — The judicial power of the United States shall be vested in one Supreme Court, and in such inferior courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The judges, both of the supreme and inferior courts, shall hold their offices during good behavior. . . .

ARTICLE VI. -This Constitution, and the laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof, and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land. . . .

The Federalists and Anti-Federalists. - As soon as the Constitution was published, people began to take sides in regard to it. Those who were for it were called Federalists, those against it were Anti-Federalists, and these were our first Political Parties. Among the former were Washington and Hamilton, and among the latter were Jefferson and Patrick Henry. Said Washington:

It is only in our united character, as an empire, that our independence is acknowledged, that our power can be regarded, or our credit supported, among foreign nations. . . .

Said Hamilton:

197

Every Congress, as well as the late convention, have invariably joined with the people in thinking that the prosperity of America

depended on its Union. ... I am persuaded in my own mind that

the people have always thought right,

. . . and that . . . whenever the dissolu-
tion of the Union arrives, America will
have reason to exclaim, in the words of
the poet:
"Farewell! a long farewell to

all my greatness!" 198

Said Jefferson:

How do you like our new constitution? I confess there are things in it which stagger [me]. .

Their President seems a bad edition of

a Polish King. He may be elected from
four years to four for life.... Once
years,
in office, and possessing the military force

of the Union . . . he would not be easily dethroned.199

Said Patrick Henry:

...

If we admit this consolidated government, it will be because we like a great and splendid one.. We must have an army and navy, and a number of things. When the American spirit was in its youth, the language of America was different: liberty, sir, was then the primary object. . . .

Suppose the people of Virginia should wish to alter their government, can a majority of them do it? No, because they are connected with other men; . . . consolidated with other states. ... The power of changing it is gone from you. . . .

Your president may easily become king.... Can he not, at the head of his army, easily beat down every opposition? . . . What then will become of you and your rights? . .

200

The contest was hot between these two parties, and it was June, 1788, before the Constitution was finally adopted by the states; preparations at once began for electing a President, a Senate, and a House of Representatives.