The Struggle of Thirteen States for Thirteen Years to Create a Government, 1776-1789

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1912 - United States - 34 pages
 

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Page 19 - The governmental machinery of the Confederation was as imperfect and clumsy as it could well be. It not infrequently seemed as if it would cease working altogether. . . . The moment all external pressure [of the war] was removed, the crazy structure began to fall to pieces with a rapidity which astonished even those who had, during the struggle, the best opportunity to learn its weaknesses.
Page 13 - North Carolina, New Jersey and Georgia — voting in its favor; Pennsylvania and South Carolina voting against it; Delaware evenly divided and New York not voting. The Committee rose and reported their action to the House, and the next day, July 2, the majority of the delegates of each of twelve Colonies voted to accept the Report, New York not voting
Page 22 - agreed. When Congress at the instance of our ministers abroad urged treaties amending the navigation laws to prevent the exclusion of our ships from foreign ports, though it was for their own benefit the States would take no action; the treaties made with England, France and Holland were openly
Page 28 - blood. In reading what is published of the debates in Convention, the papers in the Federalist, and the discussion ^in the States, upon the question of ratification, one is struck with the fact that nearly every question now exciting the public mind was then thoroughly considered, so that questions
Page 13 - that Colony July 9, through the unanimous action of the New York Convention. July 4, it was signed by John Hancock, President, and Charles Thompson, Secretary, and ordered by Congress to be promulgated, although the actual signing by delegates was not completed until later, fifty-four having
Page 28 - or the States would approve its action. Washington himself is reported to have exclaimed in intense anxiety that if that Constitution failed of ratification, no other Constitution could be recalled in peace, but the next would be written
Page 13 - the absence of instructions. The formal Declaration drafted by the Committee was not adopted until July 4, when it received the assent of a majority of the delegates from each Colony except New York, and
Page 25 - best intellect and statesmanship of the country. A majority representation from seven States was secured May 25, when Washington was chosen President of the Convention and William Jackson Secretary. New

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