History of the Origin, Formation, and Adoption of the Constitution of the United States, Vol. 2: With Notices of Its Principle FramersCurtis, George Ticknor
History
History of the Origin, Formation, and Adoption of the Constitution of the United States, Vol. 2: With Notices of Its Principle Framers
Curtis, George Ticknor
Constitutional history -- United States
Let the reader, then, as he pursues the history of this conflict
between the opposing interests of the two classes of States, and
observes how strenuously the different theories were maintained, until
victory became impossible on either side, note the danger of adhering
too firmly to mere theoretical principles, in matters of government.
He will see the impressive spectacle of States assembled for the
formation of some system capable of answering the exigencies of their
situation; he will see how rapidly a difference of local interests
developed the most opposite theories, and how profoundly those
theories were discussed; and he will see this conflict carried on for
days, and even for weeks, with all the sincerity that interest lends
to conviction, and all the tenacity that conviction can produce, until
at last the whole discussion leads to the probable failure of the
purpose for which the assembly had been instituted. He will then see
an amalgamation of the two systems, which in their integrity were
irreconcilable, and will witness the first introduction of that mode
of adjusting opposite interests and conflicting theories of government
which lies at the basis of the Constitution of the United States, and
which alone can furnish a safe foundation on which to unite the
destinies and wants of separate communities possessed of distinct
political organizations and rights.
The Convention had received the report of the committee of the whole
on the 19th of June. From that day until the 5th of July the struggle
was continued, commencing with the proposition which affirmed the
division of the legislative department of the government into two
branches. Although such an arrangement did not necessarily involve the
principle of national and popular representation, it was opposed as
unnecessary by those who desired to retain the system of
representation by States, and who therefore intended to preserve the
existing organization of the Congress. Still, the needful harmony and
completeness of the scheme, according to the genius of the
Anglo-American liberty, required this division of the legislature.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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