Page:The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787 Volume 2.djvu/460

 4S4 RECORDS OF THE FEDERAL CONVENTION KFednesday MADISON l gust 2 9 to the person justly claiming their service or labor," which was agreed to hem: con: n Art: XVII being taken up, t Mr. Govr. Morris moved to strike out the two last sentences, to wit "If the admission be consented to, the new States shall be admitted on the same terms with the original States-- But the Legislature may make conditions with the new States, concerning the public debt, which shall be then subsisting". -- He did not wish to bind down the Legislature to admit Western States on the terms here stated. Mr Madison opposed the motion, insisting that the Western States neither would nor ought to submit to a Union which degraded them from an equal rank with the other States. Col. Mason-- If it were possible by just means to pre- vent emigrations to the Western Country, it might be good policy. But go the people will as they find it for their interest, and the best policy is to treat them with that equality which will make them friends s not enemies. Mr Govr Morris. did not mean to discourage the growth of the Western Country. He knew that to be impossible. He did not wish however to throw the power into their hands.
 * c  I Mr Sherman, was agst. the motion, & for fixing an equality

of privileges by the Constitution. Mr Langdon was in favor of the Motion. he did not know but circumstances might arise which would render it incon- venient to admit new States on terms of equality. Mr. Williamson was for leaving the Legislature free. The existing small States enjoy an equality now, and for tha reason are admitted to it in the Senate. This reason is not applicable to (new) Western States. On Mr Govr Morrls's motion for striking out. N.H. ay m Mss. ay--Ct ay. N m J. ay. Pa. ay. Del. ay. Md. no Va. no. N-- C-- ay. S--C-- ay. Geo. ay, [Ayes -- 9; noes -- 2.] Mr. Lm Martin & Mr Govt. Morris moved to strike out n See above August 28, and Appendix A, CXV and CCXII, also references under August 25, note 7.  Relating to the admission of new states.  Crossed out 'firm".

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