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demanded abolishment of taxes and a large issue of paper money for general use. They

became so dangerous that Congress dispatched General Lincoln with four thousand soldiers to quell the rebellion.

The rioters had dispersed the supreme court, sitting at Springfield. General Lincoln placed the judges in their seats, and then, as the rioters were on the point of attacking the

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THE ATTACK ON THE RIOTERS.

arsenal, he fired upon them. Nothing will

scatter a mob like cold lead and artillery, and a single discharge was enough. The rioters fled and the rebellion

was over. The leaders were afterward tried and fourteen of them sentenced to death, but in the end all were pardoned.

The rebellion did good, how. ever. The safety of a nation like ours lies in a love of law and order. It was now seen that it would not do to trifle longer: self preservation would not admit of delay.

No one saw the truth more clearly than Washington. Some citizens of Virginia and Maryland had formed a plan

for improving the navigation of the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay, and the two states named commissioners to meet at Alexandria, Virginia, in March, 1785, to agree upon a plan of operations. It being known that Washington was interested in all such schemes, the commissioners made a visit to Mount Vernon. The talk naturally led to a discussion of the needs of the country itself. The final result was a proposition to the states for a general convention.

As a consequence, commissioners from Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York met at Annapolis, in September, 1786. They discussed the question of tariff and other matters, but you will observe that only a minority of the states. were represented, and the agents soon found that their powers were so slight that nothing effective could be done. A thorough reform of the existing government was necessary. The proposition was made that in May, 1787, each state should send delegates to Philadelphia. The necessity of this step was so plain that at the appointed time every state except Rhode Island was fully represented.

To show how clearly the needs of the country were seen by Washington, I quote from a letter he wrote in August, 1786: “We have errors to correct. We have probably had too good an opinion of human nature in forming our confederation. Experience has taught us that without the intervention of a coercive power, men will not adopt and carry into execution measures the best calculated for their own good. I do not conceive we can exist long as a nation without having lodged somewhere a power that will pervade the whole Union in as energetic a manner as the authority of the state governments extend over the several states. . . . I am told that even respectable characters speak of a monarchical form of government without horror. From thinking proceeds speaking; thence acting is often but a single step. But how irrevocable and tremendous! What a triumph for our enemies to verify their predictions! What a triumph for the advocates of despotism to find that we are incapable of governing ourselves, and that systems founded on the basis of equal liberty are merely ideal and fallacious!"

Washington was distressed by the news of the rioting in New England. "What stronger evidence can be given," said he, " of the want of energy in our government than these disorders? If there is not a power in it to check them, what security has a man for life, liberty or property? The consequences of a bad or inefficient government are too obvious to be dwelt upon. Thirteen sovereignties pulling against each other, and all tugging at the federal head, will soon bring ruin on the whole; whereas, a liberal and energetic constitution, well checked and well watched to prevent encroachments, might restore us to that degree of respectability and consequence to which we had the fairest prospect of attaining."

There was nothing strange in the fact that Washington was placed at the head of the Virginia delegation to Philadelphia. He accepted the honor very unwillingly, for he dreaded lest it should have a tendency to bring him back into public affairs. He had but a single ambition to spend the rest of his life in domestic quiet with his family at Mount Vernon.

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The convention met in Philadelphia, on the 14th of May, 1787, and adjourned from day to day until enough delegates arrived to allow them to organize. They did so on

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the 25th of the month, and by a unanimous vote Washington was chosen president of the convention. It sat with closed doors for a period extending over four months. The members met in Independence Hall in the same room where the Declaration of Independence was signed, and where you can see to-day the chair in which Washington sat while acting as presiding officer.

There were able men in that convention. Among them were James Madison (afterward president of the United States), Dr. Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin West, Edmund Randolph, Robert Morris, Gouverneur Morris,. Gerry, Sherman, Clymer, Read and Dickinson. They spent several hours each day in dicussing principles of govern

ment.

Slowly but wisely the constitution was molded into shape. Randolph of Virginia submitted fifteen resolutions, which proposed a national legislature of two branches, a national judiciary with graded courts, and a national executive. Pinckney of South Carolina offered a similar but more elaborate plan, and both were fully considered. Finally the constitution was completed, and, on the 17th of September, 1787, was signed by all the delegates, except Gerry of Massachusetts and Randolph and Mason of Virginia. It was submitted to Congress, which in turn laid it before the separate states for their acceptance or rejection— the assent of nine being necessary before the constitution could become effective.

The debates that had taken place in secret in the convention were now repeated publicly in the different legislatures. At that early day, the germs of the political parties appeared. The main division was between those in favor of a large degree of federal power and those wishing to restrict that power. Those supporting the latter called themselves democrats, while the others were federalists. The constitution was really a compromise between these two great parties, though the federal view prevailed, in the main, over the democratic.

It was natural that much opposition to the new constitution should appear in the different legislatures, but one by one the states took their places in line. On the 21st of June, 1788, New Hampshire, the ninth state, ratified the constitution, and it became the supreme law of the land. Virginia followed four days later, and New York did the same a month after. Finally all had given their assent except Rhode Island and North Carolina.

As the constitution adopted by our forefathers in the closing years of the last century governs us to-day, and is likely to govern our country for ages to come, it is proper that you should learn, at this point, its leading features.

The government consists of three departments, legislative, executive and judicial. The legislative department consists of a Senate and House of Representatives, which together make the Congress. The members of the House of Representatives are chosen directly by the people, and hold their office two years. They are apportioned among the several states according to the number of inhabitants as found by a decennial census, excluding Indians not taxed and deducting two-fifths of the slaves. The senators represent the states in their sovereign capacity and are chosen for terms of six years by the state legislatures, each electing two. To prevent all going out at the same time, the first senators elected

were arranged in three classes-the first holding office two, the second four, and the third six years. Besides their legislative power, the senators ratify treaties, and confirm the appointments of the president of the United States.

The executive power is vested in a president, appointed by electors chosen

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(UPPER PICTURE)-NATIONAL MUSEUM, WASHINGTON, D. C.
(LOWER PICTURE-SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE, WASHINGTON, D. C.

in the respective states, in such manner as the different legislatures prescribe. The electors are equal in number to the senators and representatives from the state. The president is elected for four years, but may be impeached by the House, tried by the Senate, and, if convicted of misconduct, removed from office. It is his duty to nominate to the Senate all officers of the general government, and, with the advice and consent of two thirds of that body, to ratify treaties.

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A vice-president is chosen at the same time and in the same manner, to preside over the Senate, and to perform the duties of president, when that office shall become vacant by death, resignation, or removal. For the creation of any law, the House and Senate must concur, and the act is then sent to the president, who either approves it, or, in case of dis

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approval, returns it with his objections. In the latter case (which is known as vetoing a bill), to become a law both houses are required to pass it over his veto.

Congress has power to declare war, to raise and support armies, to provide and maintain a navy, to levy and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises, to regulate commerce, to coin money, and to perform all other acts of a national character.

The judicial power of the United States is vested in a supreme court, and in such inferior courts as Congress may establish. It is to extend to all cases arising under the constitution, the laws of Congress, and treaties; to all cases of admiralty and maritime

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