The Constitutional Convention.—­In response to the call of congress, delegates from all the states except Rhode Island met in Philadelphia.  By May 25, a quorum had assembled, the convention organized, with George Washington as chairman, and began its momentous work.

It was soon discovered that it would be useless to attempt to amend the articles of confederation.  They were radically defective, and a new plan of government was seen to be necessary.  The national idea must be re-established as the basis of the political organization.

“It was objected by some members that they had no power, no authority, to construct a new government.  They certainly had no authority, if their decisions were to be final; and no authority whatever, under the articles of confederation, to adopt the course they did.  But they knew that their labors were only to be suggestions; and that they as well as any private individuals, and any private individuals as well as they, had a right to propose a plan of government to the people for their adoption....  The people, by their expressed will, transformed this suggestion, this proposal, into an organic law, and the people might have done the same with a constitution submitted to them by a single citizen.” [Pomeroy’s Constitutional Law, p. 55]

The labors of the convention lasted four months.  The constitution was agreed to September 15, 1787.

Some of the difficulties encountered.—­Of these perhaps the most formidable was the adjustment of power so as to satisfy both the large and the small states.  So long as the idea of having the congress consist of one house remained, this difficulty seemed insurmountable.  But the proposal of the bicameral congress proved a happy solution of the question. [Footnote:  See discussion of section 1, Article I., Constitution, page 124.]

Although so much distress had followed state regulation of commerce, and although most of the delegates from the commercial states were in favor of vesting this power in the federal government, it was only after much deliberation, and after making the concession that no export duties should be levied, that the power to regulate commerce was vested in congress.

Another perplexing question was the regulation of the slave trade.  For two days there was a stormy debate on this question.  By a compromise congress was forbidden to prohibit the importation of slaves prior to 1808, but the imposition of a tax of ten dollars a head was permitted.

The men who constituted the convention.—­The convention included such men as George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, Roger Sherman, Gouverneur Morris, Edmund Randolph, and the Pinckneys.  “Of the destructive element, that which can point out defects but cannot remedy them, which is eager to tear down but inapt to build up, it would be difficult to name a representative in the convention.” [Footnote:  Cyclopedia of Political Science, vol.  I., article “Compromises.”]