The following documents should be printed in connection with the constitution, to show our people how completely the federal idea was held in view and acted on by the sovereigns in making their compact, supreme law, and constitution of government.

1. THE RESOLUTIONS OF THE CONVENTION OF STATES,

as to "the states beginning to act under the new compact"-to use the expression of Washington.

IN CONVENTION, MONDAY, September 17, 1787. Present:-The states of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Mr. Hamilton from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.

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'Resolved, That the preceding constitution be laid before the united states in congress assembled, and that it it is the opinion of this convention that it should afterwards be submitted to a convention of delegates, chosen in each state by the people thereof, under the recommendation of its legislature, for their assent and ratification, and that each convention, assenting to and ratifying the same, should give notice thereof to the united states in congress assembled.

"Resolved, That it is the opinion of this convention that as soon as the conventions of nine states shall have ratified this constitution, the united states in congress assembled, should fix a day on which electors should be appointed by the states which shall have ratified the same, and a day on which the electors should assemble to vote for the president, and the time and place for commencing proceedings under this constitution. That after such publication, the electors should be appointed, and the senators and representatives; that the electors should meet on the day fixed for the election of the president, and should transmit their votes certified, signed, sealed and directed, as the constitution requires, to the secretary of the united states in congress assembled; that the senators and representatives should convene at the time and place assigned; that the senators should appoint a president of the senate, for the sole purpose of receiving, opening and counting the votes for president; and that, after he shall be chosen, the congress, together with the president, should, without delay, proceed to execute this con. stitution.

"By the unanimous order of the convention."

2. THE LETTER OF WASHINGTON,

the president of the convention of states, written by its "unanimous order," sufficiently quoted on p. 534 infra; and to be found complete in "The Constitution," by William Hickey, p. 188. It is cited to prove that the convention considered the states to be parties to approve or reject; that the government aimed at was to be "the federal government of these states," and that the constitution was considered the "delegating" of an "extensive trust.”

3. THE ACTION OF THE STATES IN CONGRESS.

"THE UNITED STATES IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, Saturday, September 13, 1788. Congress assembled. Present: - New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia; and from Rhode Island Mr. Arnold, and from Delaware Mr. Kearny."

The following preamble and resolution were unanimously adopted :

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Whereas, the convention assembled in Philadelphia, pursuant to the resolution of Congress of the 21st of February, 1787, did, on the 17th of September in the same year, report to the united states in congress assembled, a constitution for the people of the united states; whereupon congress, on the 28th of the same September, did resolve, unanimously, That the said report, with the resolutions and letter accompanying the same, be transmitted to the several legislatures, in order to be submitted to a convention of delegates, chosen in each state by the people thereof, in conformity to the resolves of the convention made and provided in that case': And whereas the constitution so reported by the convention, and by congress transmitted to the several legislatures, has been ratified in the manner therein declared to be

sufficient for the establishment of the same,' and such ratifications, duly authenticated, have been received by congress, and are filed in the office of the secretary; therefore

Resolved, That the first Wednesday in June next be the day for appointing electors in the several states which, before the said day, shall have ratified the said constitution; that the first Wednesday in February next be the day for the electors to assemble in their respective states, and vote for a president; and that the first Wednesday in March next be the time, and the present seat of congress (New York) the place, for commencing the proceedings under the said constitution."

1 Art. VII. "The ratifications of the conventions of nine states shall be sufficient for the establishment of this constitution between the states so [i.e. by conventions] ratifying the same.”

APPENDIX C.

FEDERATION ALWAYS INTENDED.

THE object of the proofs in this part of the Appendix, is to show that from the beginning to the end of the great movement that gave us our present constitution, the states and the fathers always kept in mind, and acted by, the idea and theory of federation. The simplest man with these evidences at hand, can crush the consolidationists.

THE ANNAPOLIS CONVENTION.

The first evidence to present is the report of that body, which, as only five states were present, forebore to deliberate on the purposes of their convention, but recommended that a convention of commissioners of states should be held at Philadelphia, in May, 1787, "to devise such further provisions as shall . . . render the constitution of the federal government adequate to the exigencies of the union." [I. Ell. Deb. 116.]

The proposition of the General Assembly of Virginia, that led to the Annapolis convention, is in I. Elliott's Debates, p. 115.

THE CONGRESS OF STATES.

This body on Feb. 21, 1787, resolved unanimously, that it was expedient that the states hold a convention of their delegates, "for the sole and express purpose of revising the articles of Confederation," to "render the federal constitution adequate to the exigencies of government, and the preservation of the union." [Ibid. 120.]

Copious extracts from the above report and resolution will be found in this Appendix C [No. 3].

No. 1.

THE CREDENTIALS OF MEMBERS OF THE CONVENTION OF STATES OF 1787.

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.

A. D. 1787.

An act for appointing Deputies from this State to the convention proposed to be held in the City of Philadelphia, in May, 1787, for the purpose of revising the federal constitution.

WHEREAS, in the formation of the federal compact, which frames the bond of union of the American States, it was not possible in the infant state of our

republic, to devise a system which, in the course of time and experience, would not manifest imperfections that it would be necessary to reform;

And whereas, the limited powers, which, by the articles of Confederation, are vested in the Congress of the United States have been found far inadequate to the enlarged purposes which they were intended to produce; and whereas Congress hath, by repeated and most urgent representations, endeavored to awaken this and other States to a sense, etc., etc.

Be it therefore enacted, by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened, that, John Langdon, John Pickering, Nicholas Gilman and Benjamin West, Esqrs., be, and hereby are, appointed commissioners: they or any two of them, are hereby authorized and empowered, as deputies from this State, to meet at Philadelphia, said convention, or any other place to which the convention may be adjourned, for the purposes aforesaid, there to confer with such deputies as are, or may be, appointed by the other States, for similar purposes, and with them to discuss and decide upon most effectual means to remedy the defects of our federal Union, and to procure and secure the enlarged purposes which it was intended to effect, and to report such an act to the United States in Congress, as when agreed to by them, and duly confirmed by the several States, will effectually provide for the same.

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.

By his Excellency JAMES BOWDOIN, Esq., Governor of the Commonwealth [L. s.] of Massachusetts.

To the honorable FRANCIS DANA, ELBRIDGE GERRY, NATHANIEL GORHAM, RUFUS KING, and CALEB STRONG, Esqrs., Greeting:

WHEREAS, Congress did, on the 21st day of February, A. D. 1787, resolve, "That, in the opinion of Congress, it is expedient that, on the second Monday in May next, a convention of delegates, who shall have been appointed by the several States, be held at Philadelphia, for the sole and express purpose of revising the articles of Confederation, and reporting to Congress and the several legislatures such alterations therein, as shall, when agreed to in Congress, and confirmed by the States, render the federal constitution adequate to the exigencies of government and the preservation of the Union;" And, whereas, the Gen. Court have constituted and appointed you their delegates, to attend and represent this commonwealth in the said proposed convention, and have, by a resolution of theirs of the 10th of March last, requested me to commission you for that purpose:

Now, therefore, know ye That in pursuance of the resolutions aforesaid, I do by these presents, commission you, the said Francis Dana, Elbridge Gerry, Nathaniel Gorham, Rufus King, and Caleb Strong, Esqrs., or any three of you, to meet such delegates as may be appointed by other, or any of the other States in the union, to meet in convention at Philadelphia, at the time and for the purposes aforesaid.

In testimony whereof, I have caused the public seal of the commonwealth aforesaid to be hereunto affixed.

Given at the Council Chamber in Boston, the 9th day of April, A. D. 1787. JAMES BOWDOIN.