Year: 1872

CHAPTER VIII.


The Constitution met with an opposition
which had not been expected. 1t was as
sailed from every quarter, and what is wor-
thy of note and which may now to some seem
strange, some of its opponents were among
the best, and who have proven the wisest
and most far seeing statesmen of the times.
On this subject the people became DIVIDED;
! The "Democrats" or Estates Rights Men,
names by which that party were known who
opposed the Constitution on the ground that
it gave too much power to the general gov
ernment and limited the rights Of the indi-
vidual States; and Federaliss, a name ap-
piled to those who favored the adoption of
the Constitution, and who approved of a
strong central government The leaders of
the latter party we mentioned in the preced-
ing chapter; most prominent among the for
mer were Jefferson and Patrick Henry.


Though the Federalists trumphed over
their adversares in finally securing the adop-
ton and ratification of the Constitution by all
the thirteen original States, when we reflect
on some of the sayings of Henry, who when
feeling deep interest in his subject, seemed
to speak with more than human wisdom; a
feeling which he often m infested when dis
cussing the propriety of adopting or rejecting
the Constitution, we feel constrained to con-
fer on him the title of seer. lie pictured in
glowing terms the varied resources of the
country, and showed how by Nature each
section was adopted to its own peculiar pro-
duction and resource. lie pointed to some
States as most favorably located for COM
merce; to Others as destined to flourish in
agriculture, VIII e again in others might al
ready be heard the splashing Of water wheels
the thump of hammers and the noise Of the
shuttle, which told most emphatically their
future greatness must depend on their manu-
factures 10 be bound under one central
government was to be , ovened by the same
laws, and he held that the natural require
ments of different plrts Of the country were
so much at variance that no law could be
devised that would not while benefting some
prove detrimental TO others. This great man
seemed to foresee that what would prove a
stimulus to one State would be blighting to
another; law which would give life to one
would be death to another; here would be
prosperity there depression; here contentment
and there dissatisfaction. lie warned them
of the strong contentious which would be most
certain to arise between different SECTIONS, and
bid them beware of trouble.


Such in substance was the arguments Of
fered by Henry against the adoption OF the
Constitution. But while he held that
they could not live long in peace under one
government, Madison opposed him by decar-
inc that men who had marched shoulder to
shoulder through long and bloody struggle
in one common cause; men who had fought
together, suffered together, and who had
shed their blood in defence of one another;
men whose friendship had been washed from
alloy by the blood of their kindred would never
be the instruments of destroying the tran
guilty of government which they had
under gone go much to establish.


Notwithstanding the arguments of Mad
ison awakened the finer sympathies OF the
people, they could not disdain the advice OF
that faithful counsellor and true patriot Pat
rick Henry; and some of the States obsti-
nately refused to adopt the Constitution un-
til it was promised that all powers not spe-
cially delegated to the United States by the
Constitution should be reserved to the States
respectively, as was afterwards provided in
the tenth amendment to the Constitution.


In the body of the Constitution it is provi-
ded that as soon as nine Of the thirteen
States should ratify the Constitution, 1t
was to 90 into effect. The first election held
under the Constitution resulted in the choice
of George Washington as President and John
Adams as Vice President of the United States
On the 14th of April, 17S9, Washington,
received information of the fact that he had
been unanimously elected to the Presidency
of the United States; in a few days after he
left his home at Mount Vernon and started
for New York, which was then the seat of
government After taking the requirel oath
Of Office he proceeded to the Senate Cham
ber where Congress was already in session
and delivered an address replete with sound
sense and good reasoning, setting forth the
embarrassing condition of the country, and
giving his views in regard to tho wlsest course
Of action in the premises.


The country it is true was in an unsettled
condition, and to justly balance the affairs OF
State, overcome the financial embarrassments
with which they were beset, quiet the inter-
nal disturbances which occasionally marred the
public peace, establish the national credit,