What to do about slavery. Slaves were counted as three-fifths persons for purposes of taxation and representation and the slave trade would be allowed until 1808. Values Underlying Constitution- Liberty defined as protecting individuals from government and property rights. There are those who argue that in enshrining slavery, limiting the vote to men with property, creating the electoral college, having only one-half of the legislature elected directly by the people, and having a Supreme Court appointed for life, the constitution was not a democratic document. Another view is that for the late 18th century, the Constitution is a very progressive document.
Liberals favor federal power over the states.
Conservative View of the Constitution -Conservatives see the Constitutiton as a timeless document. Conservatives believe more in the United States as a compact between the states and are suspicious of federal power. This refers to the extent to which Americans really subscribe to the values found in the Constitution. Many Americans support Constitutional values in the abstract but not when it comes to specific applications of those values. Large numbers of Americans are willing to limit free speech rights for those with whom they disagree or for those with unpopular beliefs.