Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1804-01-13
eongrg55 of tf)s unifs0 ssfaess.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES..
October &c, 1908.
Debate on the amendment 70 the Constitution.
CONTINUED.
1lNr. Huger,s sbeech continued. J

Thirteen colonies at this time composing
the United States, spread over an extern
sive continent, having Seen threatened with
privation Of their rights and liberties,
were induced to form a league offensive
and defensive, and to unite for their ras'-
tual and common defence. Alter abloody
though MOI inglorious contest, they severed
themselves forever from the mother ooun-
try, s. they became s were acknowledge
ed as Is independent and dlstlnctrepub-
lies or. sovereigntles. Under what gloo-
my and critical circumstances they found
themselves for some few years after the
close Of the war, it would be superilGous
for me 10 detail to this house. Let ltsut-
fee to say, that their situation was such as
seriously to alarm all classes of our citi-
zens, & to threaten complete anarchy, per-
haps political dissolution, unless, some bond
OF union. better adapted to their wantsand
necessities than the original eonfederacy
could be established. Fiat band of wor-
thies therefore, as they have been APPLY
styled, were sent from twelve believe, OF
the states, who having met together in con-
vention, ultimately formed the compact,
which having been since ratified by all the
states, now happily unites Us in one great
union. Butby whom and by what authe-
rity were the members Of the convention
delegated? Whom did they represent
when assembled together? They were not,
it must be acknowledged, even in the de-
gree that the members of this House are
the immediate representatives of the peo-
pie, inhabiting that part Of this vast CONT
nent in which the u. States are comprised.
They were not selected by the people at
large, nor did they represent them in their
original and individual capacities. No,
sir, they were sent to represent the interets
and views Of thirteen distinct sovereignties;
that were appointed by the governments of
the different states and they held their au-
,thority from the states, as states, and not
from the people Of the United States gene
rally and indiscriminateIy. When met
therefore, in convention, their object was
not form one general consolidated 60
vernment forth inhabitants scattered over
this vast territory, but to modify still fur
ther, aud to draw still closer the bands Of
alliance, by which these states were AREA
dy connected. And it cannot surely be
forgotten, that one of the strongest objec-
tions, one OF those most insisted on against
the constitution, was that federative princi-
ciples had not been sufficiently retained, or
rath n theg had been totally abandoned, and
eli the consti ntiorI pproache toonearly to
a consolidation OF the different members Of
confederacy, and one general national 60
vernnent. It IS not necessary for me here
to detail the difficulties, which oppose them
selves to the formation and adoption O. any
compact, more efficient than that Of the old
confederacy, nor would the opportunities
have had of knowing them, (for was
not only under age, but absent from Ame-
RIGA, when the convention metz enable me
to do Justice to the subject. Every one
knows, however, that difficulties without
number did present themselves, and that
the convention was more than once on the
eve of dissolving itself without agreeing
upon any thing. Its a fact equally well
ascertained, that the great bone Of conten- 1
ton, the point Of all others, which It was
most dihcult to adjust, was the Earring In
terests and opposite presensions of thelarge
and small states. This was the point uPon
WHICH the whole business turned, and gen
tlemen viii seeat once the justice of the re-
mark, when they recollect that although
every other amendment whatever, atterthe
year eighteen hundred and eight, may be
made to the constitution, by two-thirds Of
both houses CT Congress, when ratified by
the legislatures of three fourtls Of the
states, yet asingle exception is made, and
it is particularly specified, that no state
without its consent, shall be deprived ofiss
equal suffrage in the Senate.
Why then this single execution. bat Be |