South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-06-16


Pennsylvania was held up in this
fashion Delaware hurried a vote and
approved the constitution, and New
Jersey followed: but not till Penn
sylvania, forced to vote adopted the
constitution by a two-thlrds vote of
4G TO %. Only nine states out Of
the Is were needed, and one-t third
of them approved in December, 1891.
To be sure, James Wilson was
hanged and burned in effiSy for what
he did, and the almanac for 1888.
containing the text OF the new con-
stitution, was publicly curst and
burned with due ceremony in divers
and sundry places in this free and
enlightened land.
Georgia, already committed to the
measure by her slave representa-
tion and the privilege Of importing
negroes for 20 years, ratified the
constitution on Jan. ,, and Connecu-
cut, grateful that New York could
not tax her potatoes and that she
| had as many senators as MaSsachu-
sets, followed just a week later.
Massachusetts Yields.
Massachusetts was the first of the
large states to come in. she came
with great travail of soul! In her
constitutional convention were,
among others, "a ministers, and to
their everlasting honor they were
among the most intelligent and pro-
gressive men there. But it is doubt
| full how the matter would have gone
\ had not old sam Adams changed
/ his mind. He sat for three weeks
/ in the convention and never opened
I his mouth, and when he finally spoke
] it was to utter three words. Il am
/ satisfied" on Feb. 6. 1883, Mass
achusetts ratified the constitution by
a very narrow vote of 1871 TO 16S,
becoming the sixth state TO ratify.
I Maryland came in on April IS
and New Hampshire's convention
met. but timidly adjourned till June
| TO see what the other states would
| do. South Carolina ratified in May
and New Hampshire met again in
! June and ratified, Virginia following
after a long and bitter debate, max
inS one more than the necessary
nine states. Most bitter was the
| controversy in New York. where
! Hamilton won belated victory with
small majority of so 10 % OF
July %.
Petty as were the large states. the
| small ones. which had most to gain
| by the union. proved even more pet
". North Carolina did not ratify
until George Washington had beer
president for some months anC
! Rhode Island became one of the
, United States of America, May 29
/ 1870. Had she waited just LITTLE
longer Vermont. which was not one
OF the original 13. would have got
ten in ahead of her. For a veal
and more it had been Rhode Island
uber allus; but Rhode Island cam'
| in. with many misgivings for hel
| precious rights. having so many
sacred Interests 10 guard that sh'
needed two capitals, Providence anC
Newport
Value OF Retrospect
The value Of this look backward
is TO be found in the discovery tina
there Is nothing now being sale
against a league or nations that wa
not said in 17SS with equal cogency
bitterness and fear that the liber
ties OF America were forever doome,
If this thing should be done. Who
ever desires 10 make a good speech
against the league OF nations as i
IL proposed in the year of our Lore
1919 Will find II already made 70
him in year 17SS. Those speeche
are not very edifying as We rea:
them now, but they appear quite a
able. far-sighted ana statesmanllk'
as some speeches now being mad
viii appear in 40 years.
IN the whole history Of the adop
ton OF the constitution the SINAI
states acted from small motives an,
the larger states from smaller mo
lives in proportion 10 their strengtl
. and leadership. No state acted s.
badly as New York, except Rhod
Island. But even Rhode Island di'
finally get IN. and New York CAV
up reluctantly the power OF taxin
, the potatoes and eggs that she i'm
ported from Connecticut. and as
sumed an obligation 10 assist in pro