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79 lines
3.3 KiB
Plaintext
79 lines
3.3 KiB
Plaintext
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LETTER OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL CONVENTION, TO THE
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PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS, TRANSMITTING THE CONSTITUTION
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In Convention
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September 17, 1787
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Sir,
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We have now the honor to submit to the consideration of the
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United States in Congress assembled, that Constitution which
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has appeared to us the most advisable.
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The friends of our country have long seen and desired, that
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the power of making war, peace, and treaties, that of levying
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money and regulating commerce, and the correspondent executive
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and judicial authorities should be fully and effectually vested
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in the general government of the Union: But the impropriety of
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delegating such extensive trust to one body of men is evident
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-- Hence results the necessity of a different organization.
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It is obviously impractical in the federal government of
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these states, to secure all rights of independent sovereignty
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to each, and yet provide for the interest and safety of all:
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Individuals entering into society, must give up a share of
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liberty to preserve the rest. The magnitude of the sacrifice
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must depend as well on situation and circumstances, as on the
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object to be obtained. It is at all times difficult to draw
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with precision the line between those rights which must be
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surrendered, and those which may be reserved; and on the
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present occasion this difficulty was encreased by a difference
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among the several states as to their situation, extent,
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habits, and particular interests.
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In all our deliberations on this subject we kept steadily in
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our view, that which appears to us the greatest interest of every
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true American, the consolidation of our Union, in which is
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involved our prosperity, felicity, safety, perhaps our national
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existence. This important consideration, seriously and deeply
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impressed on our minds, led each state in the Convention to be
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less rigid on points of inferior magnitude, than might have been
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otherwise expected; and thus the Constitution, which we now
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present, is the result of a spirit of amity, and of that mutual
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deference and concession which the peculiarity of our political
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situation rendered indispensable.
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That it will meet the full and entire approbation of every
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state is not perhaps to be expected; but each will doubtless
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consider that had her interest been alone consulted, the
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consequences might have been particularly disagreeable or
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injurious to others; that it is liable to as few exceptions
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as could reasonably have been expected, we hope and believe;
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that it may promote the lasting welfare of that country so dear
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to us all, and secure her freedom and happiness, is our most
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ardent wish.
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With great respect, We have the honor to be, Sir,
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Your Excellency's
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most obedient and humble servants,
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George Washington, President
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By unanimous Order of the Convention.
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His Excellency the President of Congress
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-------------------------------------
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Prepared by Gerald Murphy (The Cleveland Free-Net - aa300)
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Distributed by the Cybercasting Services Division of the
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National Public Telecomputing Network (NPTN).
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Permission is hereby granted to download, reprint, and/or otherwise
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redistribute this file, provided appropriate point of origin
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credit is given to the preparer(s) and the National Public
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Telecomputing Network.
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V R T
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