The objections raised by the Anti-Federalists were many.  In the first place, it was of course objected that it gave to the central government too much power; that state government and State liberty would be crushed out.  The State was then as dear to the citizen as is the National Government to us to-day.  Patriotism was then devotion to the State.  The colonists had suffered so much from control over their state governments by an outside strong government, that they were fearful of again putting themselves under a strong national government though of their own making.  In warning terms it was declared it would be a government founded upon the destruction of the governments of the several States.  They said, “Congress may monopolize every source of revenue, and thus indirectly demolish the State governments, for without funds they cannot exist.”  These elements of State love and jealousy of the Federal power are of the utmost importance in studying our history.  We see them running through all our life as the main causes of division between political parties. (See later chapter on “Introduction to History of Political Parties.”)

Another objection was, that the Constitution contained no definite “bill of rights” recognizing and guaranteeing fundamental personal liberties, such as freedom of speech, liberty of the press, assurance against unjust arrest, the right to bear arms, and trial by jury in civil cases, etc.  This class of objections was satisfied by the adoption of the first ten constitutional amendments.  It was also claimed by those opposed to the ratification, that inasmuch as the Constitution placed no limit to the number of terms which a President might serve, one man might become so powerful as to obtain a life-tenure of office, and thus the government would degenerate into a monarchy.  To show how exaggerated were the fears during this critical period of our history, we have the report that it was actually claimed and believed by many at that time that the Federalists had the secret intention of inviting over to our country some European prince who should rule as king.  Patrick Henry cried, “We shall have a king; the army will salute him monarch.”  Though not fixed by the Constitution, it has been since the time of Washington the invariable rule that no man shall be elected for more than two terms.  The friends of President Grant attempted to have him nominated for a third time, but so strong was this prejudice that, popular as he was at that time, the plan failed.

For nine months the struggle was wagered fiercely in the States, but the Federalists prevailed.  In June, 1788, the ninth State ratified, and adoption was assured.  Congress fixed the first Wednesday in January for the election of presidential electors, the first Wednesday in February for the meeting of the electors and election of the President, and the first Wednesday in March, 1789, for the inauguration of the President and the beginning of the new government.  This last date fell upon the 4th of March, which date has from that time served as the day for the inauguration of our presidents.  Owing to a delay in the assembling of the new Congress, Washington was not inaugurated, nor our present government instituted, until April 30, 1789.