CHAPTER IV.

Origin and Necessity of the Power to regulate Commerce.

Inability of the Confederation to manage Foreign Commerce[276]
Essential that it should be managed by the United States[277]
Views of the Revolutionary Statesmen[277], [278]
Commercial Relations of the United States with Foreign Countries[279]
Negotiation of the Treaty with the Netherlands[280]
Duties and Imposts[281]
Congress without Power to enforce Treaty Stipulations upon the States[282]
Relations of the United States with Great Britain[282]
Measure of Mr. Pitt[282]
Change of the English Administration[283]
Mr. Pitt's Bill[283]
Views of the New English Administration[283], [284]
American Trade excluded from the British West Indies[284]
The three great Branches of American Commerce[285]
Congress apply to the States for further Powers[286]
Action of the States thereupon[286]
Success of Treaties dependent on the Grant of further Powers[287]
Incongruities in the Grants of the several States[288]
Failure of the Attempt to negotiate Commercial Treaties[289]
Discordant Legislation of the States[290]

CHAPTER V.
1783-1787.

The Public Lands.—Government of the Northwestern Territory.—Threatened Loss of the Western Settlements.

Relations of Congress to the Public Lands[291]
Efforts to procure Cessions from the States[292]
Cession by New York[293]
Disposal of the Territories[293]
Power of Congress to acquire and hold Lands[293]
Its Constitutional Authority to deal with acquired Territory[294]
Cession of Northwestern Territory by Virginia[295]
States to be formed from this Territory[296]
Congress pass a Resolve for the Regulation of ceded Territory[296]
Principles on which the Government of New States should be established[297]
Provision for admitting New States into the Union[298]
Compact between the Old and New States[299]
The Public Lands the true Resources for the Payment of the Public Debt[299]
Slavery to be excluded from the New States[299]
Cession by Massachusetts and Connecticut of a Portion of their Territorial Claims[299], [300]
Modification by Virginia of her Act of Cession[300]
Cession of Lands by South Carolina[301]
No other Lands ceded to the United States before 1787[301]
Ordinance for the Government of the Northwestern Territory enacted[302]
Its Provisions concerning Property[302]
Civil Government of the Territory[303]
Laws to be adopted[303]
Appointment of Civil Officers[304]
Counties and Townships to be formed[304]
Representation in the Legislature provided for[304]
Articles of Compact between the Original States and the People and States in the Territory[305], [306]
Wisdom of this Scheme of Government[306], [307]
Political Difficulties in the Management of this Territory[308]
Threatened Loss of the Western Settlements[309], [310]
Washington's Plan of uniting the Eastern and Western States[310]
He considers the Opening of the Mississippi not important[311]
The Southern Boundary of the United States, by the Treaty of Peace[312]
Secret Article in that Treaty[312]
Spain refuses to concede the Navigation of the Mississippi[313]
Arrival of Guardoqui as Minister from Spain[313]
The United States insist on the Right to navigate the Mississippi[314]
The Right refused, but a Commercial Treaty tendered[314]
Importance of this Treaty[314]
The States divided with Regard to the Mississippi[314], [315]
Mr. Jay proposes a Middle Course[315]
Treaty to be limited to Twenty-five Years[316]
Use of the River to be suspended for the same Period[316]
Change in Mr. Jay's Instructions[317]
Seizure of American Property at Natchez[318]
Inhabitants of the Western Settlements alarmed[318]
Richness of their Territory[319]
Their Complaints of Congress[320]
Their Resolves[321]
Retaliatory Seizure of Spanish Property[322]
The Executive of Virginia disavows the Act[322]
Guardoqui adheres to his Position[323]
Committees of Correspondence formed in the West[323]
The Inhabitants of Kentucky in Motion[323]
Remonstrances of Virginia on the Subject of shutting up the Mississippi[323]
Their Delegates intercede with the Spanish Minister[324]
Their Efforts ineffectual[324]
The Vote of Seven States attacked in Congress[325]
Unconstitutionality of that Vote[325], [326]
It is not rescinded[326]
Critical Position of the Country[326]
The Subject of the Mississippi postponed to await the Action of the Federal Convention[326], [327]

CHAPTER VI.
1783-1787.

Decay and Failure of the Confederation.—Progress of Opinion.—Steps which led to the Convention of 1787.—Influence and Exertions of Hamilton.—Meeting of the Convention.

The Federal Power under the Confederation unequal to the Discharge of its Duties[328]
The Confederation destitute of Political Sovereignty[329]
Capacities of the Country[330]
Difficulties in the Formation of a Federal Constitution[331]
Progress of Opinion upon the Subject of a General Government[332], [333]
Important Centres of Opinion[334]
Action of Massachusetts[334]
Distress pervading the Commercial Classes[334], [335]
Governor Bowdoin's Message[336]
The Legislature recommend a General Convention[336], [337]
Their Delegates in Congress refuse to present the Resolves[337]
Congress desire only a Temporary Power over Commerce[337]
Jealousy in Congress of the Changes likely to be made in the Government[338]
The Legislature of Massachusetts rescind their Resolutions[339]
Condition of Congress in 1785[339]
Action of Virginia[340]
Proposed Enlargement of the Powers of Congress over Trade[340]
Difficulties between the Citizens of Virginia and Maryland[341]
Meeting at Alexandria[341]
Report of the Commissioners of Virginia and Maryland to their Governments[342]
Virginia invites a Meeting of Commissioners from all the States at Annapolis[343]
Action of New York[343]
Final Appeal by Congress for the Establishment of the Revenue System of 1783[344]
Exertions of Hamilton[345]
The Revenue System again rejected by the New York Legislature[346]
Commissioners appointed by New York to attend the Commercial Convention[346]
Course of New York upon the Revenue System[346]
Five States only represented at Annapolis[347]
Hamilton's Original Plan, and its Modification[347], [348]
His Report[348]
He desires an entirely New System of Government[349]
Caution in his Proposal[350]
His extensive Views[350]
Reception of the Recommendation of the Annapolis Commissioners in Virginia[351]
Objections to it in Congress[352-355]
Report of the Commissioners taken into Consideration[355]
Opinions of different Members upon the Subject[355]
Legal Difficulties in the Way of a Convention[356]
Views entertained in Congress[357]
Critical State of the Country[357], [358]
It impels Congress to Action[358]
Influence of the Course of New York upon Congress[358], [359]
Their Delegation instructed to move a Convention[360]
Failure of this Proposition[360]
Adoption of a Resolve proposed by the Massachusetts Members for the same Purpose[361]
Mode of Amendment recommended by Congress[362]
Importance of this Action of Congress[362]
Dangers of Inaction[363]
Importance of the Sanction of the Old Government, in the Formation of a new one[364]
Hamilton's Wisdom[365]
Reason for not intrusting the Revision of the System of Government to Congress[365], [366]
Powers of the Convention not defined by Congress[367]
Nature of the Crisis[368]
Danger of an Attempt to establish Monarchical Government[369]
Washington's Opinions[370], [371]
Other Difficulties attending the Revision of the Federal System[371]
Sectional Jealousy and its Causes[371], [372]
New Idea of a Union[372], [373]
Prevailing Feeling among Statesmen concerning the Convention[373]
Hamilton fully equal to the Demands of the Crisis[373], [374]
Assembling of the Convention[374]
Novelty of their Undertaking[374], [375]
State of Political Science in Modern Europe[375]
The Results of English Liberty[376], [377]
French Discussions[377], [378]
The English Constitution an imperfect Guide[378]
Nature of the Problem[379]

CHAPTER VII.