signed, sealed, and directed, as the Constitution requires, to the Secretary of the United States in Congress assembled; that the Senators and Representatives should convene at the time and place assigned; that the Senators should appoint a president of the Senate, for the sole purpose of receiving, opening, and counting the votes for President; and that, after he shall be chosen, the Congress, together with the President, should, without delay, proceed to execute this Constitution. By the unanimous order of the convention. GEORGE WASHINGTON, President. WILLIAM JACKSON, Secretary. IN CONVENTION, September 17, 1787. SIR: We have now the honor to submit to the consideration of the United States in Congress assembled, that Constitution which has appeared to us the most advisable. The friends of our country have long seen and desired that the power of making war, peace, and treaties, that of levying money and regulating commerce, and the correspondent executive and judicial authorities, should be fully and effectually vested in the General Government of the Union: But the impropriety of delegating such extensive trust to one body of men is evident; hence results the necessity of a different organization. It is obviously impracticable in the Federal Government of these States, to secure all rights of independent sovereignty to each, and yet provide for the interest and safety of all. Individuals entering into society, must give up a share of liberty to preserve the rest. The magnitude of the sacrifice must depend as well on situation and circumstance, as on the object to be obtained. It is at all times difficult to draw with precision the line between those rights which must be surrendered, and those which may be reserved; and on the present occasion this difficulty was increased by a difference among the several States, as to their situation, extent, habits, and particular interests. In all our deliberations on this subject, we kept steadily in our view that which appears to us the greatest interest of every true American-the onsolidation of our Union-in which is involved our prosperity, felicity, safety, perhaps our national existence. This important consideration, seriously and deeply impressed on our minds, led each State in the convention to be less rigid on points of inferior magnitude, than might have been otherwise expected; and thus the Constitution, which we now present, is the result of a spirit of amity, and of that mutual deference and concession which the peculiarity of our political situation rendered indispensable. That it will meet the full and entire approbation of every State, is not, perhaps, to be expected; but each will doubtless consider, that, had her interest been alone consulted, the consequences might have been particularly disagreeable 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 lasting welfare of that country so dear to us all, and secure her freedom and happiness, is our most ardent wish. With great respect, we have the honor to be, sir, your excellency's most obedient humble servants. By unanimous order of the convention. GEORGE WASHINGTON, President. His excellency the PRESIDENT OF Congress. Whereupon Congress passed the following resolu tion: UNITED STATES IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED. Present: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Resolved, unanimously, That the said report, with the resolutions and letter accompanying the same, be transmitted to the several legislatures, in order to be submitted to a convention of delegates chosen in each State by the people thereof, in conformity to the resolves of the convention made and provided in that case. The States having accordingly passed acts for severally calling Conventions, and the Constitution having been submitted to them, was ratified by the Conventions of the several States at the dates respectively, as stated on page 24 of this compilation. THE UNITED STATES IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED. SATURDAY, September 13, 1788. Congress assembled: Present, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia; and from Rhode Island Mr. Arnold, and from Delaware Mr. Kearny. On the question to agree to the proposition which was yesterday postponed by the State of Delaware, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. Gilman New Hampshire.........Mr. Gilman, ay Wingate, ay ay So it was resolved in the affirmative, as follows: Whereas the convention assembled in Philadelphia, pursuant to the resolution of Congress of the 21st of February, 1787, did, on the 17th of September in the same year, report to the United States in Congress assembled a Constitution for the people of the United States; whereupon Congress, on the 28th of the same September, did resolve, unanimously, "That the said report, with the resolutions and letter accompanying the same, be transmitted to the several legislatures, in order to be submitted to a convention of delegates, chosen in each State by the people thereof, in conformity to the resolves of the convention made and provided in that case." And whereas the Constitution so reported by the convention, and by Congress transmitted to the several legislatures, has been ratified in the manner therein declared to be sufficient for the establishment of the same, and such ratifications, duly authenticated, have been received by Congress, and are filed in the office of the secretary; therefore Resolved, That the first Wednesday in January next be the day for appointing electors in the several States, which, before the said day, shall have ratified the said Constitution; that the first Wednesday in February next be the day for the electors to assemble in their respective States, and vote for a President; and that the first Wednesday in March next be the time, and the present seat of Congress (New York) the place, for commencing the proceedings under the said Constitution. The elections in the several States were held conformably to the above resolution; on Wednesday, the 4th of March, 1789, proceedings commenced under the Constitution; and on the 30th of April, of the same year, George Washington, elected by the unanimous suffrage of the electors, was inaugurated as President of the United States. CHAPTER IV. The succeeding Laws and parts of Laws, constituting the 4th chapter, relating to the continued organization of the Government, and providing the authorities and means of executing the Constitution, are inserted here for public convenience, as they would otherwise have to be sought for among the mass of laws, a copy of which might not always be accessible. An act to regulate the time and manner of administering certain oaths. SEC. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the oath or affirmation required by the sixth article of the Constitution of the United States, shall be administered in the form following, to wit: "I, A. B. do solemnly swear or affirm (as the case may be) that I will support the Constitution of the United States." The said oath or affirmation shall be administered within three days after the passing of this act, by any one member of the Senate, to the President of the Senate, and by him to all the Members, and to the Secretary; and by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to all the Members who have not taken a similar oath, by virtue of a particular resolution of the said House, and to the Clerk: And in case of the absence of any member from the service of either House at the time prescribed for taking the said oath or affirmation, the same shall be administered to such member when he shall appear to take his seat. |