The National tribune., 1886-09-02

CENTENARY OF THE CONSTITUTION.
Sept II, 1887, will be the Tooth anniver-
sary of the conclusion of the work of the
Constitutional Convention of 1857, and its
final adoption Of the Constitution, which
then went to the several States for ratifca-
ton. As the years go by the admiration of
the world for the wonderful work of that
little body of wise statesmen increases, and
Gladstone voices the general verdict of all
students of human government when he
pronounces the American Constitution the
grandest achievement of human intelli-
gence."
The Constitutional Convention of 1857
grew out of the utter failure of the Articles
of Confederation to give unity, strength and
dignity to the infant Government of the
united Colonies. The precipitating cause of
the Convention was the failure of New York,
in 1856, to ratify the ImpOst Plan. She was
the only State that did SO, but her failure
brought the whole scheme, of which so much
was expected, to naught. Maryland and
Virginia had been vainly endeavoring to in
stitute some means of regulating commerce
on the Chesapeake Bay, and number of
other interstate difficulties called for con-
sideration. After several abortive attempts
to bring about Convention, Congress sane
toned one to be held at Philadelphia May
Ia. Ii was not, however, until May 25 that
a quorum of seven States assembled. These
were New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina and
South Carolina Delegates from Massachu-
sets and Connecticut appeared May %;
from Georgia May 81; from Maryland
June 2, and from New Hampshire July %.
Rhode Island did not send any delegates.
In all So delegates were present during most
of the deliberations, but of these Is refused
to sign the Constitution as it was finally
agreed upon. George Washington, who had
been with difficulty persuaded to act as del
egate from Virginia, was elected President,
and the Convention settled down to its work
May 90. It's deliberations continued four
months. The first scheme considered was
the Virginia Plan" introduced by Edmund
Randolph, Of that State, which provided for
n Congress very much as was afterward
adopted, and q judiciary, with President
chosen by Congress, and who, with part of
the judiciary, should have q veto on acts of
Congress. This proposition was debated,
and amended till June Is, when it was re-
ported upon favorably, with amendments
providing that Representatives should be
elected for three years, Senators for seven
years, and the President for seven years.
The President was TO exercise the veto
power alone, and the National Government
was denied the right to cOerce States, as the
Virginia Plan provided.
Two days after VIM. Paterson, of New
Jersey, offered what is known as the New
Jersey Plan,r which was much more of q
State Sovereignty system, as it aimed to
diminish the power of the National Gov
eminent to the uttermost, and retain all
but very few powers in the hands of
the sovereign" States. The Convention
went into Committee of the Whole on both
plans June 16, and, after discussing them for
three days, reported strongly against the
New Jersey Plan, and in favor of an adher-
ence to the Virginia Plan. Alexander Ham,
ilton then proposed another plan, by which
the Representatives were to DO chosen
for three years by the people, the Senators
to be chosen for life by electors chosen by
the people, and the Governor (President)
to be chosen for life by electors chosen
by electors chosen by the people,
and that the States should be ruled
by Governors appointed by the National
Government, who should have an absolute
veto upon the acts Of their Legislatures.
Some other schemes also received considera-
ton. The Virginia plan was supported by
the larger States, and the New jersey plan
by the smaller. Finally all the plans were
given TO COMMITTEES Of Detail" and Aug.
this committee submitted q new draft,
which bore a strong resemblance to the pres
emit Constitution. The main points of diff
ference were that it created President, with
the title of His Excellency," who was to
be chosen by Congress for seven years, and
not he eligible for reelection. He was to be
improbable by the House of Representa-
tives, and to be tried by the Supreme Court.
No provision was made for aVice-President.
This draft was debated for a month, and
at times the differences seemed wholly ire
concilable The delegates from North and
South Carolina and Georgia gave notice that
their States would not enter into Union
which prohibited the slave trade, or which
should attempt to exercise authority to tax
exports. At last this was compromised by
prohibiting the right to tax exports, by pro-
hibiting the right to interfere with the slave