Hardly a provision of the Constitution es caped criticism, but the absence of a bill of rights was the most common and weighty ob jection raised. The fear that the strong gen eral government provided for would encroach upon the sovereignty of the States and the lib erty and rights of the individual was the chief obstacle to be overcome. The first State to ratify was Delaware (7 Dec. 1787), followed in the course of a month by Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia and Connecticut. In three of the States the vote was unanimous, and in Pennsylvania and Connecticut ratification was carried without difficulty, although in the for mer State there was a vigorous but small oppo sition. The first close struggle occurred in Massachusetts. The convention was very evenly divided and ratification was only secured (7 Feb. 1788) by a narrow margin, through the Federalists agreeing to the recommendation of a series of amendments. This plan was fol lowed by all the subsequent conventions save Maryland, which ratified in April. All ex cept five States had now taken favorable action, but it seemed very doubtful if any one of the five remaining States could be brought to accept the Constitution uncon ditionally. The Virginia convention was the first of these to assemble, but the discus sions were so prolonged that New Hamp shire ratified before it, on 21 June, by a ma jority of 11, making the ninth State, and thus ensuring the inauguration of the new system. Virginia followed on 25 June, by a majority of 10 votes in favor, out of 186, under the impres sion that it was the ninth State to take action. The effect of these two ratifications upon the New York convention was fortunate. At first the opponents to unconditioned ratification had been in the majority. Finally a few of the opposition yielded sufficiently to permit of rat ification by a majority of four, hut this action was secured only by the Federalists consenting to a call for a second general constitutional con vention to consider amendments. Happily this convention was never held. It has been impos sible to refer to the important influence of cer tain men in the State conventions, hut at least passing note should be made of the astuteness of the Federal leaders in the Massachusetts con vention, of the heroic services of Hamilton and Madison and the strenuous opposition of Pat rick Henry and Lansing in their respective State conventions. Favorable action had finally
been secured in the doubtful States, owing to the realization that the alternative of °the Constitution or was before them to choose from. John Quincy Adams truly said, °The Constitution was extorted by grinding necessity from a reluctant people.) Of the two remaining States, the North Carolina convention on 2 August refused to ratify without a bill of rights and the Rhode Island legislature repeatedly refused to call a convention. Finally, after the new government had been inaugurated, and Congress, in response to the general demand for a bill of rights, had submitted a series of amendments to the States, North Carolina ratified 21 Nov. 1789, but Rhode Island's adherence was not secured until 27 May 1790, by a majority of two votes, and only then as a result of threatened hostile commercial legislation by Congress. Thus the 13 original States were finally reunited under the new Constitution. See CONGRESS, CONTINENTAL.
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