Page:The History of Slavery and the Slave Trade.djvu/426

 shall, in consequence of any law or regulation therein, be discharged frora such service or labor, but shall be delivered up on claim of the party to whom such service or labor may be due."

The constitution bears date the 11th of September, 1781. It was immediately transmitted to congress, with a recommendation to that body to submit it to state conventions for ratification, which was accordingly done. It was adopted by Delaware, December 7; by [sic]Pennsylvinia, December 12; by New Jersey, December 18; by Georgia, January 2, 1188; by Connecticut, January 9; by Massachusetts, February 1; by Maryland, April 28; by South Carolina, May 23; by New Hampshire, June 21; which being the ninth ratifying state, gave effect to the constitution. Virginia ratified June 21; New York, July 26; and North Carolina, conditionally, August 7. Rhode Island did not call a convention.

In Massachusetts, Virginia and New York, the constitution encountered a most formidable opposition, which rendered its adoption by these states for a time extremely doubtful. In their conventions were men on both sides who had been members of the national convention, associated with others of distinguished abilities. In Massachusetts there were several adverse influences which would probably have defeated the ratification in that state, had it not been accompanied by certain proposed amendments to be submitted by congress to the several states for ratification. The adoption of these by the convention gained for the constitution the support of Hancock and Samuel Adams; and the question on ratification was carried by one hundred and eighty-seven against one hundred and sixty-eight.

In the Virginia convention, the constitution was opposed by Patrick Henry, James Monroe, and George Mason, the last of whom had been one of the convention framers. On the other side were John Marshall, Mr. Pendleton, Mr. Madison, George Wythe, and Edmund Randolph, the three last also having been members of the national convention. Mr. Randolph had refused to sign the constitution, but had become one of its warmest advocates. In the convention of this state, also, the ratification was aided by the adoption of a bill of rights and certain proposed amendments; and was carried, eighty-eight yeas against eighty nays.

In the convention of New York, the opposition embraced a majority of its members, among whom were Yates and Lansing, members of the general convention, and George Clinton. The principal advocates of the constitution were John Jay, Robert R. Livingston, and Mr. Hamilton. Strong efforts were made for a conditional ratification, which were successfully opposed, though not without the previous adoption of a bill of rights, and numerous amendments. With these, the absolute ratification was carried, thirty-one to twenty-nine.

The ratification of North Carolina was not received by congress until January, 1190; and that of Rhode Island, not until June of the same year.

The injunction of secrecy as to the proceedings of the convention was never