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"The restraint on the Legislatures of the several States respecting emitting bills of credit, making any thing but money a tender in payment of debts, or impairing the obligation of contracts by ex post facto laws, was thought necessary as a security to commerce, in which the interest of foreigners, as well as of the citizens of different States, may be affected.

"The Convention endeavored to provide for the energy of Government on the one hand, and suitable checks on the other hand, to secure the rights of the particular States, and the liberties and properties of the citizens. We wish it may meet the approbation of the several States, and be a means of securing their rights and lengthening out their tranquillity. With great respect, we are, Sir, your Excellency's obedient, humble servants.'

Could any thing be more pertinent or conclusive, upon these points, than this letter?

But we have numerous contemporaneous letters from Washington to divers persons, which throw a flood of light upon the subject, and show clearly his understanding of that letter of Congress to have been in accordance with the views I have presented. These letters also show what little weight is to be given to Mr. Motley's assertion that the States never acceded to the Constitution as a Compact between them. On this point we have in these letters authority higher than that of Mr. Motley. What the States did do, we shall see. Whether their action can be properly termed accession or not, has been a matter on which men have differed. Mr. Motley is on one side, while General Washington, Mr. Jefferson, Governor Randolph, Judge Marshall, Mr. Madison, and a host of others, are on the other side.

* Elliot's Debates, vol. i, p. 491.

In a letter of General Washington to Bushrod Washington, on the 10th of November, 1787, while the Constitution was before the States for consideration, he says:*

"Let the opponents of the proposed Constitution in this State be asked-and it is a question they certainly ought to have asked themselves-what line of conduct they would advise it to adopt, if nine other States, of which I think there is little doubt, should accede to the Constitution ?"

In the same volume, on page 304, is a letter from General Washington to Mr. Madison, dated the 10th of January, 1788. In this he says:

"But of all the arguments that may be used at the Convention which is to be held, the most prevailing one I expect will be that nine States at least will have acceded to it."

Here is a letter from Washington to Charles C. Pinckney, dated the 28th of June, 1788, in which he

says:+ "No sooner had the citizens of Alexandria, who are Federal to a man, received the intelligence by the mail last night, than they determined to devote this day to festivity. But their exhilaration was greatly increased, and a much keener zest given to their enjoyment, by the arrival of an Express, two hours before day, with the news that the Convention of New Hampshire had, on the 21st instant, acceded to the new Confederacy by a majority of eleven voices-that is to say, fifty-seven to forty-six. ***From the local situation, as well as the other circumstances of North Carolina, I should be truly astonished if that State should withdraw itself from the Union. On the contrary, I flatter myself with a confident expecta

* Washington's Writings, vol. ix, page 278.
Washington's Writings, vol. ix, pp. 389, 390.

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