protection on the powers
granted to or withheld from the General Government in
pursuance of the national purposes for which it was ordained
and established:

This Convention does therefore recommend to the several
States to unite with Kentucky in her application to Congress
to call a Convention for proposing amendments to the
Constitution of the United States, to be submitted to the
Legislatures of the several States, or to Conventions
therein, for ratification, as the one or the other mode of
ratification may be proposed by Congress, in accordance with
the provision in the fifth article of the Constitution.

I propose to avail myself of the privilege of a short reply to the
arguments against my proposition; and in order that I may occupy as
little time as possible, I have reduced my reply to writing. At the
risk of repeating some of the remarks I made at the opening of the
discussion, I wish to recur to the facts on which my report is based.

The resolution which I have moved to substitute, recommends to the
several States to unite with Kentucky in her application for the
calling of a Convention for proposing amendments to the Constitution.

On the 28th day of January, seven days before the assembling of this
Conference Convention, the Governor of Kentucky transmitted to the
President of the United States the joint resolutions of the General
Assembly of that Commonwealth, "recommending a call for a Convention
of the United States," with a request that the President would lay the
same before Congress; and on the 5th of February, the day after the
assembling of this Convention, they were, by a special message of the
President, communicated to Congress, with the expression of great
satisfaction in the performance of that duty, and of confidence that
Congress would bestow upon those resolutions the careful consideration
due to the distinguished and patriotic source from which they
proceeded, as well as to the great importance of the subject which
they involve. The resolution requesting the call of a Convention I
have already read to the Conference.

There are, sir, but two modes provided by the people of the United
States for altering the fundamental law of their Government, both of
which are specified in the fifth article of the Constitution:

1. Congress, whenever two-thirds of both houses _shall deem
it necessary_, shall PROPOSE amendments to the Co