The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-11-06
VI.

VI.
On Monday. the 18th OF September. 1887.
the engrossed Constitution was read and
signed by all tho members present except
George Mason. Edmund Randolph. and FL
bridge Gerry. Mason told Jefferson that the
Constitution. as ngreed to only q fortnight be-
fore. met with his approval. 1t was. however,
earlier that the changes were made which so
altered its character as to render it in Mason's
! opinion no longer charter Of government.
Hoping against hope. nevertheless. and vigil
liant to the end. he was to DO seen at his post
in the last weeks OF the Convention striving
to bring about counter alterations Of more or
less significance and value. Among his
manuscripts has been found paper showing
the points OF the Constitution to which no
took exception and the amendments proposed
by him. In one instance. his watch!ulness
| was OF great service In detecting and frustrat-
ing q plan OF Gouverneur Morris to prevent
the States from having tho power to propose
amendments. Tho Incident is thus reported
by Jefferson: lone morning Gouverneur Nor
ris moved an instruction for certain altera-
tions not one-half the members yet come I'M.
In hurry and without understanding. it was
agreed to. The Committee on Style reported
SO that Congress should have the exclusive
power OF proposing amendments George
Mason observed this on the report and op
posed it. King denied the construction. Mason
demonstrated it. and asked tho committee by
what authority they had varied what had been
agreed. Gouverneur Morris then got up and
said. BY authority Of the Convention and pro-
duced the blind instruction before mentioned.
which was unknown to one-half the House
and till then not fully understood by the
other" They then restored 1t Us 1t originally
stood.
The Virginia Convention. called to deter
mine whether the Constitution framed at
Philadelphia should be accented. met in Rich
mond on June .. 17S2. Neither Washington
nor jefferson nor Richard Henry Lee was a
member OF this body 1t included however.
on the Federalist side Madison. Marshall. Pen
dleton. George Nicholas. lines. and Edmund
Randolph. who had ultimately made up his
mind to accept the Constitutions: on the
anti Federalist side Patrick Henry. George
Mason. William Grayson. James Monroe.
benjamin Harrison. and John Tyler. Nu-
merically also the assembly was m i'm
posing one: it was moro than four times
larger than the Philadelphia Convention which
had framed the Federal Constitution. Tho
army the judiciary. and the planters OF Nir-
Cihia were tho three interests most conspicu-
ously represented. and the old soldiers were
generally in favor Of the Constitution. as the
habits OF the army officers naturally led them
to approve OF n strong arm in the Government.
while the lawyers looked moro to the question
OF the principles involved and were moro jeal-
Gus Of liberty
1t Is we'll known that the efforts OF George
Mason and Patrick Henry to bring about the
rejection OF the Constitution were unsuccess-
full. The resolution of ratification was passed
by 80 votes against ~ hut it was coupled
with a declaration that certain specified
amendments TO ths Constitution ought to be
Immediately made. The plea Of cNpodiency
nut forward Ivy Edmund Randolph that 1t was
n question Of Union or no mon ms eight
States had already ratified the compact, no
doubt had its effect on tho weak and wavering
in the Convention and brought over enough Of
them TO give the Federalsts their small ma.
iority often 1t is noteworthy that the COM
mittee appointed to prepare the form OF ratif-
cation-a committee consisting exclusively
of Fedcralists assorted the doctrine OF
State sovereignty by averring that 1.-The
powers granted under the Constitution.
being derived from the people OF the
United States. may be resumed by them
whatsoever tho same shall be perverted
to their injury or oppression" We need only
add that the ten amendments which were
made part OF the Constitution In 1901 were
in sui stance equivalent to some OF those on
the Virginia list.
George Mason died Mt Gunston Hall. October.
1852. in tho 9th year Of his age. On the Both
OF September he had been able to sec Jefferson
and to converse with him freely on matters OF
public importance. Jefferson was his rolti.
cal heir and us the leader OF triumphant
Democratic Republican party. was to carry
out in the Government the States rights views
of Ge,rGe Mason. 1t is certain that jefferson
from first to last looked upon George Mason
ms one OF the wsest OF the Virginians OF the
Revolutionary epoch. and Madison said OF him
that mason possessed the greatest talents
for debate OF any man I have ever seen or
heard speak" NJ ". II.