The Pennsylvania packet, and daily advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1787-09-19 00:00:00, page 4

TH AT the preceding Constitution be laid before the United States in Congress assembled, and that 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 there
of 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 elected: That the Electors should meet on the day fixed for the Election of the Presi
dent, 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 Constitution.
The senators and representatives beforementioned, and the members of the several state legis
latures, and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United States and of the several States,
shall be bound by oath or affirmation, to support this constitution; but no religious test shall ever
be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.
WE have now the honor to submit to the consideration of the United States in Congress
assembled, that Constitution which has appeared to us the most adviseable.
The friends of our country have long seen and desired, that the power of making war, peace
and treaties, that of levying money and regulating commerce, and the correspondent executive and
judicial authorities should be fully and effectually vested in the general government of the Union:
but the impropriety of delegating such extensive trust to one body of men is evident—Hence re
sults the necessity of a different organization.
It is obviously impracticable in the federal government of these States, to secure all
rights of independent sovereignty to each, and yet provide for the interest and safety of all—-
Individuals entering into society, must give up a share of liberty to preserve the rest. The
magnitude of the sacrifice must depend as well on situation and circumstance, as on the object to
be obtained. It is at all times difficult to draw with precision the line between those rights which
must be surrendered, and those which may be reserved; and on the present occasion this difficul
ty was encreased by a difference among the several States as to their situation, extent, habits, and
particular interests.
In all our deliberations on this subject we kept steadily in our view, that which appears to us the
greatest interest of every true American, the consolidation of our Union; in which is involved our
prosperity, felicity, safety, perhaps our national existence. This important consideration, seri
ously and deeply impressed on our minds, led each State in the Convention to be less rigid on
points of inferior magnitude, than might have been otherwise expected; and thus the Constitution,
which we now present, is the result of a spirit of amity, and of that mutual deference and con
cession which the peculiarity of our political situation rendered indispensible.
That it will meet the full and entire approbation of every State is not perhaps to be expected;
but each will doubtless consider, that had her interests been alone consulted, the consequences
might have been particularly disagreeable or injurious to others; that it is liable to as few excep
tions as could reasonably have been expected, we hope and believe; that it may promote the last
ing welfare of that country so dear to us all, and secure her freedom and happiness, is our most
ardent wish.
The ratification of the conventions of nine States, shall be sufficient for the establishment of
this constitution between the States so ratifying the same .
NEW-HAMPSHIRE.
MASSACHUSETTS.
CONNECTICUT.
NEW-YORK.
NEW-JERSEY.
PENNSYLVANIA.
IN CONVENTION, Monday September 17th, 1787.
Done in Convention, by the unanimous consent of the
States present, the seventeenth day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven
hundred and eighty seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the twelfth.
In witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed our Names.
HIS EXCELLENCY
The President of Congress.
The States of New-Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Mr.
Hamilton from New-York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware,
Maryland, Virginia, North-Carolina, South-Carolina and
Georgia:
William Jackson, Secretary.
In Convention, September 17, 1787.
RESOLVED,
GEORGE WASHINGTON, President,
And Deputy from Virginia.
SIR,
George Washington, President.
John Langdon,
Nicholas Gilman.
Nathaniel Gorham,
Rufus King.
William Samuel Johnson,
Roger Sherman.
Alexander Hamilton.
William Livingston,
David Brearley,
William Patterson ,
Jonathan Dayton.
Benjamin Franklin,
Thomas Mifflin,
Robert Morris,
George Clymer,
Thomas Fitzsimons,
Jared Ingersoll,
James Wilson,
Gouverneur Morris.
By the unanimous Order of the Convention;
GEORGE WASHINGTON, President.
Attest, William Jackson, SECRETARY.
By unanimous Order of the CONVENTION.
PRESENT
With great respect,
We have the honor to be, SIR,
Your Excellency's most
Obedient and humble Servants,
VII.
DELAWARE.
MARYLAND.
VIRGINIA.
NORTH-CAROLINA
SOUTH-CAROLINA.
GEORGIA.
[PRINTED by DUNLAP & CLAYPOOLE.]
George Read,
Gunning Bedford, Junior,
John Dickinson,
Richard Bassett,
Jacob Broom.
James M. Henry,
Daniel of St. Tho. Jenifer,
Daniel Carrol,
John Blair,
James Madison, Junior,
William Blount,
Richard Dobbs Spaight,
Hugh Williamson.
John Rutledge,
Charles Cotesworth Pinckney
Charles Pinckney,
Pierce Butler,
William Few,
Abrabam Baldwin.