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

tional Government to take over COM
merce regulations. To her everlast-
ing honor, Virginia voted against the
compromise, and did it on the ground
of the iniquity of the slave trade.
It is almost the only large-minded
and righteous act of any Of the
greater states in the convention.
George Mason said, "Every master
of slaves is a petty tyrant. They
bring the judgment Of heaven on a
country. AS nations cannot be re-
warded or punished In the next
world, they must be in this. By an
inevitable chain Of cause and effect,
Providence punished national sins
with national calamities." That was
what Virginia said about slavery in
1857. But New England and the far
South made the bargain, and it went
through against the protest Of Vir-
yinia. The convention hoped that in
twenty years slavery itself would
end.
Small States Dissatisfied
But still the Constitution could
hardly have been carried And SO an
arrangement was made to secure the
favor of the smaller states by CIV
'ng them equal representation in the
Senate with the larger states and
making legislation impossible with
,ut concurrent action Of both bodies.
That bought over Rhode Island and
Delaware and other small states
though Rhode Island backed out of
he bargain), and without this moth
ing could have been accomplished.
For our noble Constitution could not
have been adopted by the farseeking
and unselfish leadership Of the great
states. All the states, large and
small, were too petty, too jealous, too
selfish, too prone to ask how their
ocal interests would be affected.
So the proposed Constitution was
unlimited first Of all to Congress.
Whose voice was first raised regard
ing it? That of Richard Henry Lee,
who eleven years before had moved
he adoption Of the Declaration of
independence. Did he move to adopt
he Constitution? He did not. He
organized the forces to oppose it.
Who stood next to him? Nathan
Dane, the able leader Of the delega-
ion from Massachusetts,. And who
next? The solid delegation from the
,reat State Of New York. They
we're not going to have any league
# nations.
Big States Hold Out
For eight days the three great
states of New York, Massachusetts
and Virginia tried to. obstruct the
Measure, and they were past masters
n all the arts Of obstruction. But
It length the Congressional vote
vas taken and the Constitution was
transmitted to the several states.
Pennsylvania was first to ap-
,rove it for submission to the vote
for a Constitutional convention. She
carried it by a vote Of IS to 10 in
Ter Legislature, which had but one
house. AS Al were necessary to make
a quorum, and the minority deter
mined to defeat the Constitution by
staying away, Two members of the
minority were taken violently from
heir rooms and forcibly held in their
seats in the Legislature, where, NUT
tering and used bad language, they
were compelled to sit during the brief
space of time required for the vote,
which went through, Is to 2. In
his dignifed and far-visioned man.
ner did the first State Legislature 60
On record in favor of the new league
# nations. ...
\ Bitter Campaign
Then followed stump speeches,
pamphlets, caricatures and vilifica-
ton, which Is more instructive than
adifying to remember. What need
had the Thirteen Colonies for a new
Constitution? Were not the Articles
# Confederation good enough for
rs? Had we not under them whip
ned Great Britain? And who were
these men who were trying to cut the
Thirteen Colonies loose from their
well known policy and send them to
certain wreck in their folly? Wash
ington-who was Washington? A
good general maybe, but what did he
know about politics? There were
not lacking those who openly de-
nounced him as an old fool. As for
Hamilton, he was a believer IN mon
archy anyway. Franklin was an old
dotard, who had come back from
France to bring US into bondage to
European ideals.
And how was the new government
to work? There would have to be a
president, doubtless; and what was q
president but a puppet king?
If one Of the states got into trouble
must another state get her out? II
Rhode Island continued to muddls
matters ~ she always had dsHs, nust
Massachusetts, ssand rssDsasi5lsf \
Delaware wsat 10 war nss& New