The Ocala banner., 1919-08-29
HOW THE CONSTITUTION WAS
RATIFIED


eign powers.
All met with bitter opposition
more or less prolonged.
Hanging and burning in effigy were
merely mild forms OF protest.
When the declaration of indepeud-
ence was promulgated it meant war;
yet. at the time, there was no organ
lied government to conduct war, so
a central government became an ab-
solute necessity, because war could
not be successfully prosecuted with
out some sort of directing head,
So a convention was assembled,
and drafted what was known as car
ticles of confederation" and submit
ted the same to the states-then thir-
teen in number-for ratification.
AS imperative as central govern
ment was the articles of confedera-
ton were the subject of debate by
the states for more than a year and
half and were not put into opera
tion for a period of FIVE years.
These articles provided for no ex-
ecutive head, and were found to be
the most inefficient, perhaps. in the
whole range of government, and, al
though the war was won, despite this
handicap, after peace was declared
the country began drifting more and
more in the direction OF anarchy.
The war was fought. with militia
raised by the various states, and,
having no army, the continental con-
gress found itself powerless to en-
force its DEGREES.
It could not collect taxes and was
unable to carry out it's treaty sttpula-
tions.
There was a general feeling of mu-
tiny.
Army officers wanted recognition
of their services and the "doughboys"
were clamorous for back pay and PEN
sions.
In 1888. two months after the dis
abandonment of the army, band Of
mutinOus soldiers, some of whom
were maddened with drink, marched
into Philadelphia, while the congress
was in session. taunted and insulted
the members, surrounded the meeting
place and threatened to make a raid
on the treasury if their demands
we're longer ignored
Congress was powerless to defend
itself against the mob, and fled the
city to save itself from the jaers and
insults of the rioters, and made
Princeton its official residence
With this state of affairs every
where existing it looked as if the new
republic was fast drifting on the
rocks and nearing dissolution.
Things went from bad to worse SO
rapidly that many of the officers OF
the army. and many in civilian life
began regretfuIly to believe that the
republic was a failure and suggested
thot the sceptre of royalty be placed
10 Washington's hands, and the old
patriot was implored to accept the
k.ugly crown.
Had he possessed the ambition Of
Cromwell or Napolean the republic
would have been of short life.
But he. repelled the suggestion, and
by the exercise of tact, frmness and
persuasion, put down the swelling
tide of discomfort and saved the re-
public.
Attempts to amend the articles of
confederation proving aboftive, con.
ventiOn was finally called to formu.
late new covenant in order to form
q more perfect union, and our pres
ent constitution was the .outgrowth
of that memorable convention.
The convention met in May, 1887,
ana II ala not finish it's Iab0rS until
the middle of September.
There was nothing like unaninity
Of sentiment and on a number of is.
sues the debates were more or less
acrimonious.
For example, on the question of
having the negroes figure in the rep
resentation allotted to the several
states, GOuveneur Morris Of New York
IS quoted as saying: 81 would sooner
submit myself to a tax tor paying
for all the negroes in the United
States than saddle postefity with
such a constitution"
After months of labor and com.
promise the constitution in its pres.
ent shape was submitted to the states
for ratification