按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
North Carolina。 This was sufficient for North Carolina； and on November 21； 1789； the convention ratified the Constitution。 But Rhode Island still held out。 A convention of that State was finally called to meet in March； 1790； but accomplished nothing and avoided a decision by adjourning until May。 The Federal Government then proceeded to threaten drastic measures by taking up a bill which authorized the President to suspend all commercial intercourse with Rhode Island and to demand of that State the payment of its share of the Federal debt。 The bill passed the Senate but stopped there； for the State gave in and ratified the Constitution on the 29th of May。 Two weeks later Ellsworth； who was now United States Senator from Connecticut； wrote that Rhode Island had been 〃brought into the Union； and by a pretty cold measure in Congress； which would have exposed me to some censure； had it not produced the effect which I expected it would and which in fact it has done。 But 'all is well that ends well。' The Constitution is now adopted by all the States and I have much satisfaction； and perhaps some vanity； in seeing； at length； a great work finished； for which I have long labored incessantly。〃* * 〃Connecticut's Ratification of the Federal Constitution；〃 by B。 C。 Steiner； in 〃Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society；〃 April 1915； pp。 88…89。 Perhaps the most striking feature of these conventions is the trivial character of the objections that were raised。 Some of the arguments it is； true； went to the very heart of the matter and considered the fundamental principles of government。 It is possible to tolerate and even to sympathize with a man who declared： 〃Among other deformities the Constitution has an awful squinting。 It squints toward monarchy； 。 。 。 。 your president may easily become a king 。 。 。 。 If your American chief be a man of ambition and ability how easy it is for him to render himself absolute。 We shall have a king。 The army will salute him monarch。* * 〃Connecticut's Ratification of the Federal Constitution；〃 by B。 C。 Steiner； in 〃Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society；〃 April 1915 pp。 88…89。
But it is hard to take seriously a delegate who asked permission 〃to make a short apostrophe to liberty；〃 and then delivered himself of this bathos： 〃O liberty！thou greatest goodthou fairest propertywith thee I wish to livewith thee I wish to die！Pardon me if I drop a tear on the peril to which she is exposed； I cannot； sir； see this brightest of jewels tarnished！ a jewel worth ten thousand worlds！ and shall we part with it so soon？ O no！〃* * Elliot's 〃Debates on the Federal Constitution；〃 vol。 III。 p。 144。
There might be some reason in objecting to the excessive power vested in Congress； but what is one to think of the fear that imagined the greatest point of danger to lie in the ten miles square which later became the District of Columbia； because the Government might erect a fortified stronghold which would be invincible？ Again； in the light of subsequent events it is laughable to find many protesting that； although each house was required to keep a journal of proceedings； it was only required 〃FROM TIME TO TIME to publish the same； excepting such parts as may in their judgment require secrecy。〃 All sorts of personal charges were made against those who were responsible for the framing of the Constitution。 Hopkinson wrote to Jefferson in April； 1788： 〃You will be surprised when I tell you that our public News Papers have anounced General Washington to be a Fool influenced & lead by that Knave Dr。 Franklin； who is a public Defaulter for Millions of Dollars； that Mr。 Morris has defrauded the Public out of as many Millions as you please & that they are to cover their frauds by this new Government。〃* * 〃Documentary History of the Constitution；〃 vol。 IV； p。 563。
All things considered； it is difficult to avoid the conclusion that such critics and detractors were trying to find excuses for their opposition。 The majorities in the various conventions can hardly be said really to represent the people of their States； for only a small percentage of the people had voted in electing them； they were representative rather of the propertied upper class。 This circumstance has given rise to the charge that the Constitution was framed and adopted by men who were interested in the protection of property； in the maintenance of the value of government securities； and in the payment of debts which had been incurred by the individual States in the course of the Revolution。 Property holders were unquestionably assisted by the mere establishment of a strong government。 The creditor class seemed to require some special provision and； when the powers of Congress were under consideration in the Federal Convention； several of the members argued strongly for a positive injunction on Congress to assume obligations of the States。 The chief objection to this procedure seemed to be based upon the fear of benefiting speculators rather than the legitimate creditors； and the matter was finally compromised by providing that all debts should be 〃as valid against the United States under this Constitution asunder the Confederation。〃 The charge that the Constitution was framed and its adoption obtained by men of property and wealth is undoubtedly true； but it is a mistake to attribute unworthy motives to them。 The upper classes in the United States were generally people of wealth and so would be the natural holders of government securities。 They were undoubtedly acting in self…protection； but the responsibility rested upon them to take the lead。 They were acting indeed for the public interest in the largest sense； for conditions in the United States were such that every man might become a landowner and the people in general therefore wished to have property rights protected。 In the autumn of 1788 the Congress of the old Confederation made testamentary provision for its heir by voting that presidential electors should be chosen on the first Wednesday in January； 1789； that these electors should meet and cast their votes for President on the first Wednesday in February； and that the Senate and House of Representatives should assemble on the first Wednesday in March。 It was also decided that the seat of government should be in the City of New York until otherwise ordered by Congress。 In accordance with this procedure； the requisite elections were held； and the new government was duly installed。 It happened in 1789 that the first Wednesday in March was the fourth day of that month； which thereby became the date for the beginning of each subsequent administration。 The acid test of efficiency was still to be applied to the new machinery of government。 But Americans then； as now； were an adaptable people； with political genius； and they would have been able to make almost any form of government succeed。 If the Federal Convention had never met； there is good reason for believing that the Articles of Confederation； with some amendments； would have been made to work。 The success of the new government was therefore in a large measure dependent upon the favor of the people。 If they wished to do so； they could make it win out in spite of obstacles。 In other words； the new government would succeed exactly to the extent to which the people stood back of it。 This was the critical moment when the slowly growing prosperity； described at length and emphasized in the previous chapters； produced one of its most important effects。 In June； 1788； Washington wrote to Lafayette： 〃I expect； that many blessings will be attributed to our new government； which are now taking their rise from that industry and frugality into the practice of which the people have been forced from necessity。 I really believe that there never was so much labour and economy to be found before in the country as at the present moment。 If they persist in the habits they are acquiring； the good effects will soon be distinguishable。 When the people shall find themselves secure under an energetic government； when foreign Nations shall be disposed to give us equal advantages in commerce from dread of retaliation； when the burdens of the war shall be in a manner done away by the sale of western lands； when the seeds of happiness which are sown here shall begin to expand themselves； and when every one （under his own vine and fig…tree） shall begin to taste the fruits of freedomthen all these blessings （for all these blessings will come） will be referred to the fostering influence of the new government。 Whereas many causes will have conspired to produce them。〃 A few months later a similar opinion was expressed by Crevecoeur in writing to Jefferson： 〃Never was so great a change in the opinion of the best people as has happened these five years； almost everybody feels the necessity of coercive laws； government； union； industry； and labor 。 。 。 。 The exports of this country have singularly increased within these two years； and the imports have decreased in proportion。〃 The new Federal Government was fortunate in beginning its career at the moment when returning prosperity was predisposing the people to think well of it。 The inauguration of Washington marked the opening of a new era for the people of the United States of Ameri