"

OF THE

ORIGIN, FORMATION, AND ADOPTION

OF THE

CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES ;

WITH

NOTICES OF ITS PRINCIPAL FRAMERS.

BY

GEORGE TICKNOR CURTIS.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOLUME II.

NEW YORK:
HARPER AND BROTHERS,

FRANKLIN SQUARE.

1858.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1858, by

GEORGE T. CURTIS, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.

CONTENTS

OF

VOLUME SECOND.

BOOK IV.

FORMATION OF THE CONSTITUTION.

CHAPTER I.

PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS. ORGANIZATION OF THE CON-

VENTION.-POSITION OF THE STATES. — RULE OF INVESTIGA-

TION.

Explanation of the Author's Plan

Preservation of Republican Government

Nature of American Freedom

Its Dependence upon the Union

Intention of the Framers of the Constitution

Hamilton's Purposes

The Confederation officially condemned .

Purposes of the States

The declared Objects of the Convention

Nature of the previous Union

General Purpose of the People

Powers of the Convention

Opposite Views of the Members

Presence of Slavery in the States

The Slaves in some Form to be considered

How they were regarded under the Confederation

Complex Relations of the Subject

All the States but one represented in Convention

Absence of Rhode Island

.