The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1821-09-19
[FrDm the New-Yorl, statesman.1
NEW PUBLICATION.

copy OF the " oecfet proceedings ana
debates of the Congention assembled at
Philadelphia, IN the gear 1897, for the
purpose of forming The Constitution Of
the United States of .4merica-- from the
notes taken by the late Robert Yates, Esq.
Chief Justice of .Ne7c- York, and copied
By John Lansing, jim. Esq. late Chan
eellor of that State, Members of the Con-
Vention including the genuine iaforma-
ton lad before the Legislature Of Mary
land, by Luther Martin, Esq. then At
tormsstGener0l Of that State, and a Mem
Der q the same Convention i: also, other
historical documents relatiue to the Federal
Cempdct Of the North .4mericass Union''---
published by Messrs. Websters and Skin
ners of this city. From hasly perus-
al Of this work, we have no hesitation
in pronouncing it one of the most in
-teresting volumes we have ever exam
ined. Taking it up with the intention
of merely gIancing at its contents, we
were soon lost in the proceedings, and
in listening TO the debates of group
of revolutionary statesmen and sages
and we found it impossible to resist the
inclination of hearing what each one
had TO say, on so important subject,
till we had gone through the book. 1t
is the first time We have had an oppor-
tunity of seeing the inside of the Con-
yention for forming the Constitution;
and much of the information contained
in the volume was new TO us. The
Federdbst presents view of the Con-
stitution after the structure was com.
pleted; but this volume exhibits the
architects busily at work in framing and
rearing the pillars of our government.
If we mistake not, the doctrines and
sentiments advanced by some of the
members of the Convention will at this
day create no little. astonishment.--
Take, for example, the following ex-
tracts from Mr.. Madison's remarks on
tie 29th of June, page 1874 =
/" Mr.. .Madison.-Some gentlemen are
afraid that the plan is not sufficiently
national, while others apprehend that
it is too much so. If this point Of rep
resentation was once well fixed. we
would come nearer to one another in
sentiment. The necessity would then
be discovered of circumscribing more
eflectually the State governments, and
enlarging the bounds of the General
Government. Some contend that States
are sovereign, when, in fact, they are
only political societies. There is
graduation of power in all societies,
from the lowest corporation to the
highest sovereign. The States never
possessed the essential rights of sove-
reignty. These we're always vested in
Congress. Their voting, as States, in
Congress, is no evidence of sovereign
ty. The State of Maryland voted by
counties-did this make the counties
sovereign? The States, at present, are
only great corporations, having the pow
er of making bye-laws, and these are
effectual only if they are not contradic-
tory to the general confederation. The
States ought to be placed under the
control of the General Governmental
least as much so as they formerly were
under the King and British parliament"
If such sentiments are republican,
then are our notions of republicanism,
as expressed in our remarks on State
rights, in to-day's paper, completely
heterodox. But it should be remem-
bered, that Mr. Madison then had ia
vourite system to support, and every
thing was made to bend to it. We
might add extracts from the remarks of
other members, which would create no
less surprize; but we forbear, trusting
that the book itself will be generally
read.
In the course of the debates, we find
several suggestions from DR.. Franklin,
completely characteristics of the Amer
lean sage, and illustrative of his plain
common sense On the 28th of June,
when the dissensiens of the Convention
had reached an alarming crisis, Gov
ernour franklin says the reporter,
read some remarks, acknowledging
the difficulties of the present subject
Neither ancient nor modern history,
said he, Can give us light. As spar
row does not fall without divine permits
sion, can we suppose that governments
can be erected without bis will? We
SHALL, AM AFRAID, BE DIsGRAcED THROUGH
LITTLE PARTY yIEws-I more that we haze
prayers ereyy morning
On another occasion the Doctor OBJ
served-t MANY exnediepts hava haan