Page:The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787 Volume 2.djvu/482

 476 I{ECORI)$ OF THE FEDERAL CONVENTION Friday MAD I SON .,,lgt 3r Mr. King thought that striking out "Conventions". as the requisite mode was equiv}tlent to giving up the buslness alto- gether. Conventions alone, which will avoid all the obstacles from the complicated formation of the Legislatures, will suc- ceed, and if not positively required by the plan, its enemies will oppose that mode. Mr. Govt. Morris said he meant to facilita.te the adoption of the plan, by leaving the modes approved by the several State Constitutions to be followed. Mr. Madison considered it best to require Conventions; Among other reasons, for this, that the powers given to the Genl. Govt. being taken from the State Govts the Legisla- tures would be more disinclined than conventions composed in part at least of other men; and if disinclined, they could devise modes apparently promoting, but really. thwarting the ratification. The difficulty in Maryland was no greater than in other States, where no mode of change was pointed out by the Constitution, and all officers were under oath to support it. The people were in fact, the fountain of all power, and by resorting to them, all difficulties were got over. They could alter constitutions as they pleased. It was a principle in the Bills of rights, that first principles might be resorted to. Mr. McHenry said that the officers of Govt. in Maryland were under oath to support the mode of alteration prescribed by the Constitution. Mr Ghorum urged the expediency of "Conventions" also Mr. Pinkney, for reasons, formerly urged on a discussion of this question. Mr. L. Martin insisted on a reference to the State Legisla- tures. He urged the danger of commotions from a resort to the people & to first principles in which the Governments might be on one side & the people on the other. He was apprehensive of no such consequences however in Maryland, whether the Legislature or the people should be appealed to. Both of them would be generally against the Constitution. He repeated also the peculiarity in the Maryland Constitution. Mr. King observed that the Constitution of Massachusetts

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