The call of the North. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1923-1924, 1923-08-24


thirteen small states, who fought 8
German king then reigning in Great
Britain, in order to make one corner
of the world safe for. democracy
That war came to a successful term.
nation, and then the question be.
came a pressing one, whether demo.
cracy was safe for the world. Fol
several years there was situation
closely akin to anarchy. After sew
eral years of uncertainty and near
anarchy, it was decided to try the
experiment of creating a league OF
thirteen small nations, banded TO-
gether to preserve peace and promote
the common welfare. In order to Sc
cure these ends, the Federal Con-
stitution was prepared and submitted
to the States.
Secret Meetings
The Constitutional Convention met
in Independence Hall, with George
Washington in the chair. The meet
ings were held in secret, and what
was done was not revealed for fifty
years, when the journals kept by
James Madison were published. 1t
Is well that the people did not know
from day to day what was happening.
It is well that the three great states
of Massachusetts, New York and Vir-
ginia did not know how their pre-
cious liberties were being tamper-
ed with, or they might have called
their delegates home. It was felt by
the convention that if the discussions
were secret, the delegates could
wrangle with perfect freedom, and
if they came finally to agreement
the thirteen states would have only
the agreement to consider and not
any of the material of the debate
That was fortunate. If the thirteen
states, and especially the three OF
four largest ones, had been able to
fling into the faces of their return
ing delegates some Of the things
which they had said on the floor, say
ing to them, "Why did you vote for
an instrument Of which you yourself
said this?" the thirteen colonies
might have gone to the bow-wows
and the Bolsheviki.
Constitution Submitted
Finally, the Constitution was
adopted by the convention, and sub
mitted to the thirteen states.
And they all saw what a noble in
strument it was, and fastened to
adopt it?
Not quite in that fashion.
But the great states were first to
see how great an instrument it was ?
Not exactly.
When George Washington went
back to Virginia and submitted the
fruit of his toll, Patrick Henry rose
in heat and shouted, "Even from the
man who saved US by his valor, !
will demand a reason for his conduct.
Why does this instrument say, We,
the people?' Why does it not say,
we, the states'?" And Patrick
Henry was not alone in his demand.
How did the Constitution of the
United States get itself adopted l?
On it's merits? Well, hardly. It's
adoption was the result of a number
of compromises and of sops thrown
to Cerberus.
Southern States Placated
First of ALL the favor of the
Southern states was secured by CIV
ing them more than their share of
delegates in Congress. They were
permitted representation not only on
their free citizens, but a representa-
ton, in reduced proportion, on their
slaves. That insured the favor of
the Carolinas and Georgia, and Vir-
ginia acted as a kind of stakeholder
in that arrangement; for Virginia,
while slave state, was represented
in the convention by men who earn
estly desired the end of slavery. The
three states south of Virginia were
determined never to accept the Con.
stitution could not have been adopt
ed. So they were first won over by
this compromise. Five slaves were
permitted to count as many as three
white men, and Georgia and the Car.
olinas became advocates Of the Con.
stitution.
New England's Bargain.
The next thing was a bargain be.
tween New England and the South
by which the new Federal Govern.
ment might make trade regulations
for the entire country in exchange
for permission to keep the slave
trade going till 1903. It went hare
with some Of the states to give ur
the right to impose import duties or
shipments from other states. New
York was determined to make every
Connecticut farmer pay import du'
ties on every dozen eggs he brought
to the city to sell, and Connecticut
retaliated by refusing to ship any
firewood to New York. The priv
lsgs Of having little scraps like thil
was very precious TO the thirteen
frss and mighty Independents states