314 Annapolis and Philadelphia Conventions. [i?86-9 Convention met at Annapolis. The attendance was small. No delegates came from Georgia, South Carolina, or any State to the east of the Hudson. Three elections had been held in Massachusetts. Twice the delegates refused to serve. On the third occasion those chosen accepted and set out, but, like the delegates from Rhode Island, were met on the way by news that the Convention had broken up. The session was a short one, for the few who came had such limited powers that they contented themselves with lamenting the wretched state of national affairs, and urging that Congress should call a new Convention, with enlarged powers, to meet at Philadelphia in May, 1787. This was eventually done; and the Convention so gathered produced the Con- stitution of the United States. That noble instrument, under which the United States has attained to such astonishing prosperity, is based on no mere theory of government framed by speculative politicians. It was drawn by practical men to meet a pressing need, and bears throughout the marks of experience gained during the dark days which followed the war for independence. Congress now had sole power to coin money and to determine its value, and to regulate trade with foreign countries and between the States. It was empowered to levy taxes, duties, imposts, and excises ; to pay the debts of the United States ; and to provide for the common defence and general welfare. No State, on the other hand, could issue bills of credit, or coin money, or make anything else than gold or silver a legal tender for debt. The Convention, having framed the Constitution, sent it to Congress to be transmitted to the States for consideration, and requested that when nine States had ratified it, Congress should take the necessary steps to put the new government into operation. By July, 1788, eleven States had adopted the Constitution ; and Congress then made prepara- tions for its establishment. It was ordered that New York City should be the seat of government; that on the first Wednesday in January, 1789, the States should choose presidential electors; that the electors should meet and vote in their respective States on the first Wednesday in February; and that the Senate and the House should meet and count the electoral vote at New York City on the first Wednesday in March, 1789. Towards sunset on March 3 a salute was fired from the battery as a farewell to the old Confederation. At daylight, at noon, and at six in the evening on Wednesday the 4th guns were again fired, and all the church bells rung, as a hearty welcome to the new Constitution. But no other celebration was attempted; and nothing further was done to mark the fact that the weak and crumbling Confederation had given place to a strong and vigorous government. No President was in- augurated ; no Senate, no House of Representatives was ready to begin business. Indeed, the new Congress seemed to have inherited all the
