had sufficient evidence to satisfy his own mind that it was not supposed by the makers of it at the time, but that some subjects were left a little ambiguous and uncertain. It was a great thing to get so many difficult subjects definitely settled at once. If they could all be agreed in, it would compact the Government. The few that were left a little unsettled might, without any great risk, be settled by practice or by amendments in the progress of the Government. He believed this subject of the rival powers of legislation and Treaty was one of them; the subject of the Militia was another, and some question respecting the Judiciary another. When he reflected on the immense difficulties and dangers of that trying occasion—the old Government prostrated, and a chance whether a new one could be agreed in—the recollection recalled to him nothing but the most joyful sensations that so many things had been so well settled, and that experience had shown there was very little difficulty or danger in settling the rest.
ⅭⅭⅬⅩⅩⅢ. Secretary of State: Convention Papers Received from President Washington.[1]
Received from the President of the U. States this journal of the general or fœderal convention, in one hundred & fifty three pages; together with a journal of the proceedings of the Committee of the Whole House; a book exhibiting on eight pages a detail of yeas & nays on questions taken in the Convention & two loose sheets & a half sheet, containing nine pages of the like yeas and nays; a printed draught of the Constitution; a sheet marked No 1. exhibiting the state of the resolutions submitted to the consideration of the House by Mr Randolph, as agreed to in a Committee of the whole house; another sheet, marked No 2. exhibiting the state of those resolutions as altered, amended & agreed to in a Committee of the whole House; and seven other papers, marked No 3. No 4. No 5. No 6. No 7. No 8. & No 9. of no consequence in relation to the proceedings of the Convention, but which are on file with the printed draught of the Constitution and the papers marked No 1. & No 2.
The leaf containing the pages of this journal numbered 151 & 152, was loose; it had plainly been torn from the place where it is now inserted following page 150.—
- ↑ Documentary History of the Constitution, Ⅰ, 47.
