The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-02-21

congress as might conduce to a better
regulation OF trade.
"There is more wickedness than ig-
norance In the conduct of the states or,
in other words, in the conduct of those
who have too much influence in the
government OF them" Washington wrote
what lengths contempt OF the authority
of congress had been carried "and un-
ill the curtain Is Withdrawn and the pri-
vatc views and selfish principles upon
which these men act arc exposed to pub
lie notice l have little hope OF amend
ment without another convulsion."
Perhaps the conference at Annapolis
the light leave to work a puriicaton;
and he waited anxiously for the issue.
FIVE STATES REPRESENTED.
But when the commissioners assem-
bled they found only five states repre-
sented-Virgina, Pennsylvania Della
ware, New Jersey and New York. Mary
had not appointed delegates, New Hamp-
shire. Massa chusetts. Rhode Island and
North Carolina had appointed delegates,
but they had not taken the trouble to
come. Connecticut. South Carolina and
Georgia had ignored the call altogether.
The delegates who were in attendance,
iealously restricted powers; only New
Jersey, In her great uneasness at being
nelghbor to the powerful states OF New
York and Pennsylvania, had authorized
her representatiy to consider how far
uniform system in their commercial
egulations and other important mat
ters might be necessary to the common
interest and permanent harmony OF the
several states"
The other delegates had no such scope,
all deemed 1t futile to attempt their
II was resolved TO make another oppor-
tunity, Alexander Hamilton of New
York drew up their address to the states.
and in II made bold to adopt New Jer-
which should not merely consider ques-
tlons OF trade. but also devise such fur
necessary TO render the constitution OF
the federal government adequate to the
eXigencies OF the union"
EAMILToN'S IDEAS.
Hamilton held with Washington for a
national government, He had been born.
and had never received the local pride
of any colonystate into his blood. He
had served with the army, too. In close
Intimacy with Washington. and, though
twenty-five years his captains junior,
had seen as clearly as he saw the deep
hazards of a nations birth.
me congress was Indifferent If not
hostile, to the measures which the ad-
dress proposed, and the states would
have acted on the call as slacRly as be-
iore. mad not the winter brought with
II something like a threat OF social rev.
olution, and fairly startled them out OF
their negligent humor.
The central counties Of Massachusetts
broke out into violent rebellion. under
one Shays, a veteran OF the revolution
not to reform the government but to rid
themselves of II altogether; to shut the
courts and escape the payment OF debts
and taxes. The insurgents worked their
VIII for weeks together: drove out the
officers of the law burned and plum
dered at pleasure through whole dis
trlcts, living upon the land like hos
tile army, and were brought to a recl-
oninG at last only when a force thou
sands strong had been levied against
them.
The contagion spread to Vermont and
New Hampshire; and, even when the
outbreak had been crushed. the states
concerned were irresolute in the Dunish-
ment of the leaders. Rhode Island de-
clared her sympathy with the insur-
gents; Vermont offered them asylum,
Massa chusetts brought the leaders to
trial and conviction only to pardon and
set them free again.
Congress dared do no more than make
covert preparation TO check general ris-
Ing, You talk my good SIR" wrote
Washington to Henry Lee in congress,
"of employing influence to appease the
present tumuts in Massa chusetts. I
know not where that influence is TO be
found, or, If attainabe that 1t would
be proper remedy for the disorders
influence is no government. Let us have
one by which our lives liberties. and
properties will be secured or let us
know the worst at once.
1t was an object lesson for the whole