Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-04-05
New-York Legislature.
MIR. EDWARDS REPORT

! The joint committee of the Senate and
Assembly, to whom was referred the reso
lutions of the States of Massachusetts and
Connecticut, proposing certain amendments
to the Constitution of the United States, res.
Pectfully report
That in the opiaion of your committee. in
order correctly to estimate the respect due
to the resolutions referred to them, it is nea
ccssary to recuf to the source from which
they sprang; and to the time and circum-
stances in which they originated. Your
committee, therefore. beg leave TO submit
the following statement of facts.
That in the the month of October last
past, the following resolution passed the
Legislature of the State of Massachusetts,
''y RescfUed, That perscns be ap-
pointed as delegates from this Legislature.
to meet and confer with the delegates from
the States of New England or any of them,
upon the subject of their public grievances &
concerns, and upon the best means of pre-.
serving cur resources, ard of defence against
the enemy, and to devise and suggest for
adoption by those Eastern States, such inca
sures as they may deem expedient and al
so to take measures If they shall think pro.
per, Tor procuring a convention OF dole.
gates, from all the United States. in order
to revise the consultation thereof, and more
eftectually to secure the support and at
tachment of all the people, by placing all
opon the basis offair representation
That in the month Of December following.
a convention met at Hartford, in pursuance
of that resolution, consisting OF delegates ap.
pointed by the States of Massachusetts,
Rhode Island & Connecticut, * also OF one
person from the State of Vermont, and two
r., H.
thev made a report of the result of their
conference, which was approved by the Lee
gislatures of Massachusetts * Connecticut,
This report your committee feel themselves
constrained to declare, is fraught with char
yes of the most abusive character, against
The administration of the general govern.
ment and breathes throughout, a spirit
hostile TO the constitution of the United
States. l, contains, among other things
recommendation to the States represented
in the Convention, to adopt such measures
as might effectually protect their citizens
from the operation of certain laws, which
were then under the consideration of Con-
greSs; 20 unite in an earnest application to
the government of the United States, to
make a surrender to them Of a portion of
the national revenue to organize the mi ,
litarj force Of those States, and hold in rea
diness TO act in their own defence, or that
| of each other manifestly for the purpose OF
resisting the power of the general governs
ment; and finally, if they should be unsuc.
cessful in their application. and peace should
| not be concluded, and their defence neglect.
eel, as they aliedged it had been, to appoint
delegates to another convention, with such
powers and instructions as" Ito use their
| own language) "a crisis so momentous
MIGHT rRuuiFe
opinion of your committee, to make peace
with the enemy, and forcbly to separate
themselves from the Union. From this con-
! vention, emanated the resolutions submitted
| to the consideration of your committee.
the enlightened patriots who formed the
constitution of the United States, aware that
contederated sovereignties are ever prone
to fsCtious combinations, wisely inserted a
provision, that no State should enter into
any agreemtlt or compact with another
state" Yet in utter violation of this most
explicit declaration of the constitution. was
this convention called, these delegates an.
pointed, and their proceedings approved by
the States of Massachusetts and Connecti.
cut.
AZ the time this convention was called,
the United States was engaged In a war
with one of the most formidable nations ON
earttn Having terminated hostilities with
every other nation, she was bending the
whole OF her mighty power against cur de-
voted country. Flushed with victory, her
minions vauntingly boosted, that they would
drive our chief magistrate from his station.
and bring America a miserable snppliant 70
the foot of the British throne. Already had
that government demanded, before she
would consent to peace with America, that
we should surrender large portion of our
territory Upon this great emergency, this
honorable Legislature was assembled not
tor the purpose OF alternating the good PEG
pie of this state from their attachment to
the constitution of their country not for
the purpose of infiicting penalties upon those
who might recruit men To defend their coun
try, IN pursuance of the laws of the United
States not for the purpose Of pursuing a
Course Of measures which would encourage
the enemy to persevere in the war not for
the purpose of averti8g his wrath by aban-
donlng the standard of our country. No,
far different were the motives which actua.
ted this honorable Legislature. They met
Tor the purpose of defending the liberties
which were won by the valor of their "a
thersj and of preserving ingiolale their ma
tive soil. No lust Of power. no long and
deep rooted attachment to the enemy of
their country, could for a moment seduce
them from their duty. In The true spirit of
the heroes of'76, they unanimously resolved,
that they viewed with mingled emotions Of