g to a government under this impression, painful
must have been the prospect, had they not derived
consolation from a full expectation of its imperfections
being speedily amended. In this resource, therefore, they
placed their confidence,--a confidence that will continue to
support them whilst they have reason to believe they have
not calculated upon it in vain.

"In making known to you the objections of the people of this
Commonwealth to the new plan of government, we deem it
unnecessary to enter into a particular detail of its
defects, which they consider as involving all the great and
unalienable rights of freemen: for their sense on this
subject, we refer you to the proceedings of their late
convention, and the sense of this General Assembly, as
expressed in their resolutions of the day of .

"We think proper, however, to declare that in our opinion,
as those objections were not founded in speculative theory,
but deduced from principles which have been established by
the melancholy example of other nations, in different ages,
so they will never be removed until the cause itself shall
cease to exist. The sooner, therefore, the public
apprehensions are quieted, and the government is possessed
of the confidence of the people, the more salutary will be
its operations, and the longer its duration.

"The cause of amendments we consider as a common cause; and
since concessions have been made from political motives,
which we conceive may endanger the republic, we trust that a
commendable zeal will be shown for obtaining those
provisions which, experience has taught us, are necessary to
secure from danger the unalienable rights of human nature.

"The anxiety with which our countrymen press for the
accomplishment of this important end, will ill admit of
delay. The slow forms of congressional discussion and
recommendation, if indeed they should ever agree to any
change, would, we fear, be less certain of success. Happily
for their wishes, the Constitution hath presented an
alternative, by admitting the submission to a convention of
the States. To this, therefore, we resort, as the source
from whence they are to derive relief from their present
apprehensions. We do, therefore, in behalf of our
constituents, in the mo