the fathers of the constitution-第12章

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ough　their　motives　may　be　somewhat　misinterpreted。　〃Although　there　are　no　nobles　in　America；　there　is　a　class　of　men　denominated　〃gentlemen；〃　who；　by　reason　of　their　wealth；　their　talents；　their　education；　their　families；　or　the　offices　they　hold；　aspire　to　a　preeminence　which　the　people　refuse　to　grant　them；　and；　although　many　of　these　men　have　betrayed　the　interests　of　their　order　to　gain　popularity；　there　reigns　among　them　a　connection　so　much　the　more　intimate　as　they　almost　all　of　them　dread　the　efforts　of　the　people　to　despoil　them　of　their　possessions；　and；　moreover；　they　are　creditors；　and　therefore　interested　in　strengthening　the　government；　and　watching　over　the　execution　of　the　laws。　〃These　men　generally　pay　very　heavy　taxes；　while　the　small　proprietors　escape　the　vigilance　of　the　collectors。　The　majority　of　them　being　merchants；　it　is　for　their　interest　to　establish　the　credit　of　the　United　States　in　Europe　on　a　solid　foundation　by　the　exact　payment　of　debts；　and　to　grant　to　congress　powers　extensive　enough　to　compel　the　people　to　contribute　for　this　purpose。　The　attempt；　my　lord；　has　been　vain；　by　pamphlets　and　other　publications；　to　spread　notions　of　justice　and　integrity；　and　to　deprive　the　people　of　a　freedom　which　they　have　so　misused。　By　proposing　a　new　organization　of　the　federal　government　all　minds　would　have　been　revolted；　circumstances　ruinous　to　the　commerce　of　America　have　happily　arisen　to　furnish　the　reformers　with　a　pretext　for　introducing　innovations。　〃They　represented　to　the　people　that　the　American　name　had　become　opprobrious　among　all　the　nations　of　Europe；　that　the　flag　of　the　United　States　was　everywhere　exposed　to　insults　and　annoyance；　the　husbandman；　no　longer　able　to　export　his　produce　freely；　would　soon　be　reduced　to　want；　it　was　high　time　to　retaliate；　and　to　convince　foreign　powers　that　the　United　States　would　not　with　impunity　suffer　such　a　violation　of　the　freedom　of　trade；　but　that　strong　measures　could　be　taken　only　with　the　consent　of　the　thirteen　states；　and　that　congress；　not　having　the　necessary　powers；　it　was　essential　to　form　a　general　assembly　instructed　to　present　to　congress　the　plan　for　its　adoption；　and　to　point　out　the　means　of　carrying　it　into　execution。　〃The　people；　generally　discontented　with　the　obstacles　in　the　way　of　commerce；　and　scarcely　suspecting　the　secret　motives　of　their　opponents；　ardently　embraced　this　measure；　and　appointed　commissioners；　who　were　to　assemble　at　Annapolis　in　the　beginning　of　September。　〃The　authors　of　this　proposition　had　no　hope；　nor　even　desire；　to　see　the　success　of　this　assembly　of　commissioners；　which　was　only　intended　to　prepare　a　question　much　more　important　than　that　of　commerce。　The　measures　were　so　well　taken　that　at　the　end　of　September　no　more　than　five　states　were　represented　at　Annapolis；　and　the　commissioners　from　the　northern　states　tarried　several　days　at　New　York　in　order　to　retard　their　arrival。　〃The　states　which　assembled；　after　having　waited　nearly　three　weeks；　separated　under　the　pretext　that　they　were　not　in　sufficient　numbers　to　enter　on　business；　and；　to　justify　this　dissolution；　they　addressed　to　the　different　legislatures　and　to　congress　a　report；　the　translation　of　which　I　have　the　honor　to　enclose　to　you。〃*　*　Quoted　by　Bancroft；　〃History　of　the　Formation　of　the　Constitution；〃　vol。　ii；　Appendix；　pp。　399…400。

Among　these　〃men　denominated　'gentlemen'〃　to　whom　the　French　Charge　d'Affaires　alludes；　was　James　Madison　of　Virginia。　He　was　one　of　the　younger　men；　unfitted　by　temperament　and　physique　to　be　a　soldier；　who　yet　had　found　his　opportunity　in　the　Revolution。　Graduating　in　1771　from　Princeton；　where　tradition　tells　of　the　part　he　took　in　patriotic　demonstrations　on　the　campus　…characteristic　of　students　then　as　nowhe　had　thrown　himself　heart　and　soul　into　the　American　cause。　He　was　a　member　of　the　convention　to　frame　the　first　State　Constitution　for　Virginia　in　1776；　and　from　that　time　on；　because　of　his　ability；　he　was　an　important　figure　in　the　political　history　of　his　State　and　of　his　country。　He　was　largely　responsible　for　bringing　about　the　conference　between　Virginia　and　Maryland　and　for　the　subsequent　steps　resulting　in　the　trade　convention　at　Annapolis。　And　yet　Madison　seldom　took　a　conspicuous　part；　preferring　to　remain　in　the　background　and　to　allow　others　to　appear　as　the　leaders。　When　the　Annapolis　Convention　assembled；　for　example；　he　suffered　Alexander　Hamilton　of　New　York　to　play　the　leading　role。　Hamilton　was　then　approaching　thirty　years　of　age　and　was　one　of　the　ablest　men　in　the　United　States。　Though　his　best　work　was　done　in　later　years；　when　he　proved　himself　to　be　perhaps　the　most　brilliant　of　American　statesmen；　with　an　extraordinary　genius　for　administrative　organization；　the　part　that　he　took　in　the　affairs　of　this　period　was　important。　He　was　small　and　slight　in　person　but　with　an　expressive　face；　fair　complexion；　and　cheeks　of　〃almost　feminine　rosiness。〃　The　usual　aspect　of　his　countenance　was　thoughtful　and　even　severe；　but　in　conversation　his　face　lighted　up　with　a　remarkably　attractive　smile。　He　carried　himself　erectly　and　with　dignity；　so　that　in　spite　of　his　small　figure；　when　he　entered　a　room　〃it　was　apparent；　from　the　respectful　attention　of　the　company；　that　he　was　a　distinguished　person。〃　A　contemporary；　speaking　of　the　opposite　and　almost　irreconcilable　traits　of　Hamilton's　character；　pronounced　a　bust　of　him　as　giving　a　complete　exposition　of　his　character：　〃Draw　a　handkerchief　around　the　mouth　of　the　bust；　and　the　remnant　of　the　countenance　represents　fortitude　and　intrepidity　such　as　we　have　often　seen　in　the　plates　of　Roman　heroes。　Veil　in　the　same　manner　the　face　and　leave　the　mouth　and　chin　only　discernible；　and　all　this　fortitude　melts　and　vanishes　into　almost　feminine　softness。〃　Hamilton　was　a　leading　spirit　in　the　Annapolis　Trade　Convention　and　wrote　the　report　that　it　adopted。　Whether　or　not　there　is　any　truth　in　the　assertion　of　the　French　charge　that　Hamilton　and　others　thought　it　advisable　to　disguise　their　purposes；　there　is　no　doubt　that　the　Annapolis　Convention　was　an　all…important　step　in　the　progress　of　reform；　and　its　recommendation　was　the　direct　occasion　of　the　calling　of　the　great　convention　that　framed　the　Constitution　of　the　United　States。　The　recommendation　of　the　Annapolis　delegates　was　in　the　form　of　a　report　to　the　legislatures　of　their　respective　States；　in　which　they　referred　to　the　defects　in　the　Federal　Government　and　called　for　〃a　convention　of　deputies　from　the　different　states　for　the　special　purpose　of　entering　into　this　investigation　and　digesting　a　Plan　for　supplying　such　defects。〃　Philadelphia　was　suggested　as　the　place　of　meeting；　and　the　time　was　fixed　for　the　second　Monday　in　May　of　the　next　year。　Several　of　the　States　acted　promptly　upon　this　recommendation　and　in　February；　1787；　Congress　adopted　a　resolution　accepting　the　proposal　and　calling　the　convention　〃for　the　sole　and　express　purpose　of　revising　the　Articles　of　Confederation　and　reporting　。　。　。　such　alterations　。　。　。　as　shall　。　。　。　render　the　Federal　Constitution　adequate　to　the　exigencies　of　Government　and　the　preservation　of　the　Union。〃　Before　the　time　fixed　for　the　meeting　of　the　Philadelphia　Convention；　or　shortly　after　that　date；　all　the　States　had　appointed　deputies　with　the　exception　of　New　Hampshire　and　Rhode　Island。　New　Hampshire　was　favorably　disposed　toward　the　meeting　but；　owing　to　local　conditions；　failed　to　act　before　the　Convention　was　well　under　way。　Delegates；　however；　arrived　in　time　to　share　in　some　of　the　most　important　proceedings。　Rhode　Island　alone　refused　to　take　part；　although　a　letter　signed　by　some　of　the　prominent　men　was　sent　to　the　Convention　pledging　their　support。

CHAPTER　VI。　THE　FEDERAL　CONVENTION　The　body　of　delegates　which　met　in　Philadelphia　in　1787　was　the　most　important　convention　that　ever　sat　in　the　United　States。　The　Confederation　was　a　failure；　and　if　the　new　nation　was　to　be　justified　in　the　eyes　of　the　world；　it　must　show　itself　capable　of　effective　union。　The　members　of　the　Convention　realized　the　significance　of　the　task　before　them；　which　was；　as　Madison　said；　〃now　to　decide　forever　the　fate　of　Republican　government。〃　Gouverneur　Morris；　with　unwonted　seriousness；　declared：　〃The　whole　human　race　will　be　affected　by　the　proceedings　of　this　Convention。〃　James　Wilson　spoke　with　equal　gravity：　〃After　the　lapse　of　six　thousand　years　since　the　creation　of　the　world　America　now　presents　the　first　instance　of　a　people　assembled　to　weigh　deliberately　and　calmly　and　to　decide　leisurely　and　peaceably　upon　the　form　of　government　by　which　they　will　bind　themselves　and　their　posterity。〃　Not　all　the　men　to　whom　this　undertaking　was　entrusted；　and　who　were　taking　themselves　and　their　work　so　seriously；　could　pretend　to　social　distinction；　but　practically　all　belonged　to　the　upper　ruling　class。　At　the　Indian　Queen；　a　tavern　on　Fourth　Street　between　Market　and　Chestnut；　some　of　the　delegates　had　a　hall　in　which　they　lived　by　themselves。　The　meetings　of　the　Convention　were　held　in　an　upper　room　of　the　State　House。　The　sessions　were　secret；　sentries　were　placed　at　the　door　to　keep　away　all　intruders；　and　the　pavement　of　the　street　in　front　of　the　building　was　covered　with　loose　earth　so　that　the　noises　of　passing　traffic　should　not　disturb　this　august　assembly。　It　is　not　surprising　that　a　tradition　grew　up　about　the　Federal　Convention　which　hedged　it　round　with　a　sort　of　awe　and　reverence。　Even　Thomas　Jefferson　referred　to　it　as　〃an　assembly　of　demigods。〃　If　we　can　get　away　from　the　glamour　which　has　been　spread　over　the　work　of　the　Fathers　of　the　Constitution　and　understand　that　they　were　human　beings；　even　as　we　are；　and　influenced　by　the　same　motives　as　other　men；　it　may　be　possible　to　obtain　a　more　faithful　impression　of　what　actually　took　place。　Since　representation　in　the　Convention　was　to　be　by　States；　just　as　it　had　been　in　the　Continental　Congress；　the　presence　of　delegations　from　a　majority　of　the　States　was　necessary　for　organization。　It　is　a　commentary　upon　the　times；　upon　the　difficulties　of　travel；　and　upon　the　leisurely　habits　of　the　people；　that　the　meeting　which　had　been　called　for　the　14th　of　May　could　not　begin　its　work　for　over　ten　days。　The　25th　of　May　was　stormy；　and　only　twenty…nine　delegates　were　on　hand　when　the　Convention　organized。　The　slender　attendance　can　only　partially　be　attributed　to　the　weather；　for　in　the　following　three　months　and　a　half　of　the　Convention；　at　which　fifty…five　members　were　present　at　one　time　or　another；　the　average　attendance　was　only　slightly　larger　than　that　of　the　first　day。　In　such　a　small　body　personality　counted　for　much；　in　ways　that　the　historian　can　only　surmise。　Many　compromises　of　conflicting　interests　were　reached　by　informal　discussion　outside　of　the　formal　sessions。　In　these　small　gatherings　individual　character　was　often　as　decisive　as　weighty　argument。　George　Washington　was　unanimously　chosen　as　the　presiding　officer　of　the　Convention。　He　sat　on　a　raised　platform；　in　a　large；　carved；　high…backed　chair；　from　which　his　commanding　figure　and　dignified　bearing　exerted　a　potent　influence　on　the　assembly；　an　influence　enhanced　by　the　formal　courtesy　and　stately　intercourse　of　the　times。　Washington　w