of to latures, and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United States and of the several states, shall be bound, by oath or affirmation, to fupport this conftitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or pub lic truft under the United States. ARTICLE VII. The ratification of the convention of nine ftates fhall be fufficient for the establishment of this constitution between the ftates fo ratifying the fame. DONE in Convention, by the unanimous confent of the States prefent, the feventeenth day of September, in the year of our Lord one thoufand feven hundred and eighty-feven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the twelfth. In witnefs whereof we have hereunto fubfcribed our Names; GEORGE WASHINGTON, Prefident, John Langdon, Nathaniel Gorham, William Samuel Johnson, New-Hampshire. Massachusetts. Rufus King. Connecticut. New-York. William Livingston, David Brearly, New-Jersey. Roger Sherman. Alexander Hamilton. William Paterfon, Jonathan Dayton. Pennfylvania. ART! The Congre Houfes fhall amendments tion of the ftates, fh ments, inten' whe th Maryland. Virginia. North-Carolina. Franklin, orge Clymer, George Read, Gunning Bedford, Junior. Jacob Broom. Daniel of St. Tho, Jenifer, Daniel Carrol. J John Blair, James Madifon, Junior. William Blount, Richard Dobbs Spaight, Hugh Williamfon. John Rutledge, Charles Cotefworth Pinckney, Charles Pinckney, South-Carolina. Pierce Butler. The States of New-Hampshire, Maffachusetts, Connecticut, Mr. Hamilton from New-York, New Terfey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Mary- RESOLVED, THAT the preceding Conftitution be laid before the United States in Congress affembled, and that it is the opinion of this Convention, that it should afterwards be fubmitted to a Convention of Delegates, chofen in each state by the people thereof, under the recommendation of its legislature, for their affent and ratification; and that each Convention affenting to, and ratifying the fame, fhould give notice thereof to the United States in Congress affembled. Refolved, That it is the opinion of this Convention, that as foon as the Conventions of nine ftates shall have ratified this conftitution, the United States in Congress affembled fhould fix a day on which electors Should be appointed by the fates which shall have ratified the fame, and a day on which the electors Should affemble to vote for the Prefident, and the time and place for commencing proceedings under this conftitu tion. That after fuch publication the electors Should be appointed, and the fenators and reprefentatives elected: That the electors fhould meet on the day fixed for the election of the Prefident, and should tranfmit their votes, certified, figned, fealed, and directed, as the conftitution requires, to the fecretary of the United States in Congress affembled; that the fenators and reprefentatives fhould convene at the time and place afSigned; that the fenators fhould appoint a Prefident of the fenate, for the fole purpofe of receiving, opening, and counting the votes for Prefident; and that, after be fhall be chofen, the Congress, together with the Pre Prefident, fhould, without delay, proceed to execute By the unanimous Order of the Convention, William Jackfon, Secretary. In CONVENTION, September 17, 1787, WE E have now the honour to fubmit to the confi deration of the United States in Congress affembled, that Conftitution which has appeared to us the moft advifeable. and The friends of our country have long feen and defired, that the power of making war, peace, and treaties, that of levying money and regulating commerce, the correfpondent, executive, and judicial authorities, Should be fully and effectually vefted in the general government of the Union: but the impropriety of delegating fuch extenfive truft to one body of men is evident-Hence refults the neceffity of a different or ganization. It is obviously impracticable in the federal govern ment of thefe States, to fecure all rights of independent fovereignty to each, and yet provide for the intereft and fafety of all--Individuals entering into fociety must give up a fhare of liberty to preferve the reft. The magnitude of the facrifice must depend as well on fituation and circumftance, as on the object to be obtained. It is at all times difficult to draw with precision the line between thofe rights which must be furrendered, and thofe which may be referved; and on the prefent occafion this dif ficulty was increafed by a difference among the feveral States ! States as to their fituation, extent, habits, and parti-. cular interefts. In all our deliberations on this fubject we kept fteadily in our view, that which appears to us the greatest intereft of every true American, the confolidation of our Union, in which is involved our profperity, felicity, fafety, perhaps our national existence. This important confideration, feriously and deeply impressed on our mind, led each State in the Convention to be lefs rigid on points of inferior magnitude, than might have been otherwife expected; and thus the Conftitution, which we now prefent, is the refult of a spirit of amity, and of that mutual deference and conceffion which the peculiarity of our political fituation rendered indifpenfable. That it will meet the full and entire approbation of every State is not perhaps to be expected; but each will doubtless confider, that had her interefts been alone confulted, the confequences might have been particularly difagreeable or injurious to others; that it is liable to as few exceptions as could reasonably have been expected, we hope and believe; that it may promote the lafting welfare of that country fo dear to us all, and fecure her freedom and happiness, is our moft ardent will. Your Excellency's most Obedient and bumble fervants, GEORGE WASHINGTON, Prefi lent. By unanimous Order of the Convention, HIS EXCELLENCY The Prefident of Congress. VOL. III. M m UNITED |