And this
traffic was openly carried on, and fortunes accumulated by it, without
reproach from the people of the States where they resided."
This statement, it must be remembered, does not proceed from any
partisan source, but is extracted from a judicial opinion pronounced by
the highest court in the country. In illustration of the truthfulness of
the latter part of it, may be mentioned the fact that a citizen of Rhode
Island (James D'Wolf), long and largely concerned in the slave-trade,
was sent from that State to the Senate of the United States as late as
the year 1821. In 1825 he resigned his seat in the Senate and removed to
Havana, where he lived for many years, actively engaged in the same
pursuit, as president of a slave-trading company. The story is told of
him that, on being informed that the "trade" was to be declared piracy,
he smiled and said, "So much the better for us--the Yankees will be the
only people not scared off by such a declaration."]
PART II.
THE CONSTITUTION.
CHAPTER I.
The Original Confederation.--"Articles of Confederation and
Perpetual Union."--Their Inadequacy ascertained.--Commercial
Difficulties.--The Conference at Annapolis.--Recommendation of a
General Convention.--Resolution of Congress.--Action of the
Several States.--Conclusions drawn therefrom.
When certain American colonies of Great Britain, each acting for itself,
although in concert with the others, determined to dissolve their
political connection with the mother-country, they sent their
representatives to a general Congress of those colonies, and through
them made a declaration that the Colonies were, and of right ought to
be, "free and independent States.
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