The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1921-10-23

rested All the Wheels o. the nanphet
government and brought them 70 an
nWfnl ntnnd Congress AZ this
scarcely posaees IN means OF keeping
up the forms Of adtninistration, TIN
the states can have time TO agree
q ss' sse pl ~ ! sssdS~ q federal i' gov
trnmont."
Tho defects In tho Articles OF Cor
federation seem to have become np'
parent In one particular al least. al
most ~ soon al they were proHul'
gated, hoeouse, IN June, 1873, upon
receiving Tho articles. tho legislature
OF New Jersey = n a letter 10 the
nfcsidcnt OF congress declaring that
h was the sense Of that body that
aoie M exclusive power % rcru'
fafing the trade OF the United States
with foreign nations should be clearly
vested In congress
Tho first defnitc step towards the
.'imprpvsment 81 our aoNcrnn1ent was
ths passage of a resolution. prepared
by james Madison. by the Legislature
OF Virginia. appointing five men "a
commissioners 10 . such commits
siorors a. might be appointed In thu
other states TAT a time and place to
he agreed m. 10 take into considefa-
tion the trade OF thu United states
10 examine she relative situation ana
trade OF said states: to consider how
far a uniform system IN their com
mcrclal regulations may be necessary
90 theSr common in;ereets and Their
permanent harmony; and 20 report &c
several states such an act, rela
tive 10 this great object. as, when
enable the United States congress
~effectnally TO provide for the same
ff win be noticed that this resolution
10 far as Il was specific. related TO
cOmmorce and was the first exhibit
ton of a power which has become tbs
most Influential IN u history and
was the origin OF the clause
c~ortainod w our Constitution. These
com mise1oncrs designated Annapolis
~ the place for meeting and the first
Monday I'm September. IfSe, as the
time, but only five statcs were repre-
sented NJ that time and place and
those commissioners who attended
could dp no more than recommend
the a~pqVintment OF commissioners
from all the states to meet In Phiial
delphin on tha second Monday IN
May. i7S7, ITO take into considers
fion tho situation OF the tinted
Smtcs.T and TO devise such further
pfoyistpns az shall appear 10 them
necessary TO render The constitution
OF the FEDERAL government adequate
~ the eugencies OF the Union"
Thc Three Divisions.
In january. ifs7. congress-, after a
long delay, adopted a resolution au'
thorixing the assemblage Of a con
Ivantion at Philadelphia for the sole
and express purpose of revising the
ARTICLES OF ConfederatioE' II should
he lotlced that the authority OF tho
convention did not extend to thu
Preparation Of an entirely now frame
OF government and the authority
given by the different states 10 Their
delegates was generally Of the same
limited character. Twelve OF the col
onies or states only sent ~delegates
Rhode Island being the missing one.
Whom the convention met. an attack
wns made upon Its power TO do more
than amend the articles and this at,
tack was continued even after the
convention had adjourned. II IL said
that the most complete answer made
10 thesefhttncks Is to be found In No.
~ OF the F~ederallst, which number
was n contribution from Mr.. Mad.
aon. II would be a waste Of time 10
cutter INTO any discussion OF this mat
tor because, even 81 ws should con
Icede that the convention exceeded its
lnuthority. yet It's action was validated