clear idea of the elements of which our national polity is composed. And it need not be said, that the more widely and accurately the essential principles and the proper functions of the political institutions of a State become known to its members, the more enlightened will be the legislation emanating from those who make their laws, and the more just will be the administration of their laws, and consequently the more will their general welfare and prosperity be promoted.

In the hope that this volume will, in some degree, assist in the attainment of such results, and that its operation upon the minds of those who peruse it, may be productive of some benefit to the interests of our country, I venture to submit this work to the American people.

WASHINGTON, D. C., Dec. 1, 1860.

N. C. TOWLE.

CONTENTS.

I. CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES

INTRODUCTION

II. ANALYSIS OF THE CONSTITUTION, SHOWING THE

ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF EACH CLAUSE

PAGE

1

31

37

III. CLOSING PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONVENTION AND

CONSEQUENT ACTION OF CONGRESS

1. RESOLUTIONS OF THE CONVENTION, reporting the Consti-

tution to Congress.

2. LETTER OF the President OF THE CONVENTION, trans-

mitting the proceedings of the Convention and the new

Constitution, to the Congress of the Confederation.

245

245

246

247

3. RESOLUTIONS OF THE CONGRESS, submitting the Constitu-
tion to the States for ratification

4. RESOLUTIONS OF THE CONGRESS, fixing the time for the

elections and for putting the new government into opera-

tion

248

IV. DOCUMENTS CONNECTED WITH THE PROCEEDINGS

OF THE FEDERAL CONVENTION

1. LETTER OF MR. MADISON TO MR. RANDOLPH, suggesting

an outline for a Constitution

251

252

2. MR. RANDOLPH'S PLAN, or outline, submitted to the Con-

vention at the opening of the session

3. MR. PATTERSON'S PLAN, offered as a substitute for Mr.

Randolph's.

255

259

4. MR. PINCKNEY'S PLAN, submitted to the Convention at the

opening of its session.

5. COLONEL HAMILTON'S PLAN.

262

269

6. GENERAL RESOLUTIONS; agreed to by the Convention and

referred to the Committee on Detail, on the 26th July. 271

7. DRAFT OF THE CONSTITUTION, as reported by the Com-

mittee on Detail, Aug. 6, 1787

8. EXTRACTS FROM THE DEBATES ON THE SEVERAL GEN-

ERAL PROPOSITIONS

276

. 289

Confederation. of the UNITED COLONIES OF NEW ENGLAND,

1643

297

. 297

302

305

306

. 307

315

328

1. ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION AND PERPETUAL UNION;

agreed to by the delegates in Congress, in 1777, and sub-

sequently ratified by all of the States

2. RESOLUTIONS OF THE LEGISLATURE OF NEW YORK, in

reference to the critical condition of the Confederacy, and

recommending the assembling of a General Convention of

the States, 1782

3. RESOLUTIONS OF THE LEGISLATURE OF VIRGINIA, ap-

pointing commissioners to meet commissioners from other

States, to take into consideration the trade of the United

States.

4. REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS who met at Annapolis,

Sept. 11, 1786, recommending that all the States should

appoint delegates to a general Convention, authorized to

devise provisions adequate to the exigencies of the Union 341

5. PROCEEDINGS IN CONGRESS, on the report of the Annap-

olis Commissioners, concluding with—.

345

6. THE RESOLUTION for assembling the Federal Convention. 347

7. EXTRACTS FROM THE ACTS OF THE STATE LEGISLA-

TURES, authorizing the appointment of delegates to the

Federal Convention, and showing the powers conferred

on them

348

VII. CESSION OF THE WESTERN TERRITORY, CLAIMED

BY SEVERAL OF THE STATES AS BEING WITHIN

THEIR CHARTERED LIMITS, TO THE UNITED

STATES

1. PRELIMINARY STATEMENT

350

350

2. INSTRUCTIONS OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND TO HER

DELEGATES IN CONGRESS, on the subject of the Western

territory

. 351

8. RESOLUTIONS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE, on the
same subject

4. RESOLUTIONS OF CONGRESS, recommending to Virginia

and other States to forbear issuing warrants or grants for

unappropriated lands

5. ACT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, ceding to the United

States her claims to the Western territory

355

356

356

6. RESOLUTION OF CONGRESS, recommending to the States
which have claims to the Western lands, to pass such
laws as will quiet the other States

7. COMPACT BETWEEN THE ORIGINAL STATES and the

People and States to be formed in the Territory North-

west of the Ohio River, contained in the Ordinance of

1787

359

360

X. TABLE OF ELECTORAL VOTES FOR PRESIDENT AND
VICE-PRESIDENT, FROM 1789 TO 1856 .

XI. TABLES OF THE EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATIONS,

containing the names of the members composing each cabinet,

from Washington's to Buchanan's, inclusive, and the average

annual expenditure

XII. LISTS OF OFFICERS OF THE GOVERNMENT, FROM

1789 TO 1860

390

404

415