haracter, no services, however exalted, can afford a secure
shield from the shafts of calumny.

"On the other hand, the unbounded confidence the people have in your
tried patriotism and wisdom, would exceedingly facilitate the adoption
of any important alterations that might be proposed by a convention of
which you were a member; and (as I before hinted) the president."

[Sidenote: Convention at Philadelphia.]

At the time and place appointed, the representatives of twelve states
convened. In Rhode Island alone a spirit sufficiently hostile to every
species of reform was found, to prevent the election of deputies on an
occasion so generally deemed momentous. Having unanimously chosen
General Washington for their president, the convention proceeded, with
closed doors, to discuss the interesting and extensive subject
submitted to their consideration.

On the great principles which should constitute the basis of their
system, not much contrariety of opinion is understood to have
prevailed. But on the various and intricate modifications of those
principles, an equal degree of harmony was not to be expected. More
than once, there was reason to fear that the rich harvest of national
felicity, which had been anticipated from the ample stock of worth
collected in convention, would all be blasted by the rising of that
body without effecting the object for which it was formed. At length
the high importance attached to union triumphed over local interests;
and, on the 17th of September, that constitution which has been alike
the theme of panegyric and invective, was presented to the American
public.

The instrument with its accompanying resolutions was by the unanimous
order of the convention, transmitted to congress in a letter
subscribed by the president, in which it was said to be, "the result
of a spirit of amity, and of that mutual deference and concession,
which the peculiarity of their political situation rendered
indispensable.

[Sidenote: A form of government for the United States is submitted to
the respective states, which is ratified by eleven of them.]

"That it will meet the full and entire approbation of every state,"
continued the letter, "is not, perhaps, to be expected; but each will
doubtless consider, that had her interests been alone consulted, the
consequences might have been particularly disagreeable or injurious to
others. That it is liable to as few exceptions as could reasonably
have been expecte