Proceedings of the Commissioners to Remedy Defects of the Federal
Government, Annapolis in the State of Maryland. September 14, 1786.
To the Honorable, The Legislatures of Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania,
New Jersey, and New York - assembled at Annapolis, humbly beg leave to
report.
That, pursuant to their several appointments, they met, at Annapolis in
the State of Maryland on the eleventh day of September Instant, and
having proceeded to a Communication of their Powers; they found that the
States of New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, had, in substance, and
nearly in the same terms, authorized their respective Commissions "to
meet such other Commissioners as were, or might be, appointed by the
other States in the Union, at such time and place as should be agreed
upon by the said Commissions to take into consideration the trade and
commerce of the United States, to consider how far a uniform system in
their commercial intercourse and regulations might be necessary to their
common interest and permanent harmony, and to report to the several
States such an Act, relative to this great object, as when unanimously
by them would enable the United States in Congress assembled effectually
to proved for the same."...
That the State of New Jersey had enlarged the object of their
appointment, empowering their Commissioners, "to consider how far a
uniform system in their commercial regulations and other important
matters, mighty be necessary to the common interest and permanent
harmony of the several States," and to report such an Act on the
subject, as when ratified by them, "would enable the United States in
Congress assembled, effectually to provide for the exigencies of the
Union."
That appointments of Commissioners have also been made by the States of
New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and North Carolina, none of
whom, however, have attended; but that no information has been received
by your Commissioners, of any appointment having been made by the States
of Connecticut, Maryland, South Carolina or Georgia.
That the express terms of the powers of your Commissioners supposing a
deputation from all the States, and having for object the Trade and
Commerce of the United States, Your Commissioners did not conceive it
advisable to proceed on the business of their mission, under the
Circumstances of so partial and defective a representation.
Deeply impressed, however, with the magnitude and importance of the
object confided to them on this occasion, your Commissioners cannot
forbear to indulge an expression of their earnest and unanimous wish,
that speedy measures be taken, to effect a general meeting, of the
States, in a future Convention, for the same, and such other purposes,
as the situation of public affairs may be found to require.
If in expressing this wish, or in intimating any other sentiment, your
Commissioners should seem to exceed the strict bounds of their
appointment, they entertain a full confidence, that a conduct, dictated
by an anxiety for the welfare of the United States, will not fail to
receive an indulgent construction.
In this persuasion, your Commissioners submit an opinion, that the Idea
of extending the powers of their Deputies, to other objects, than those
of Commerce, which has been adopted by the State of New Jersey, was an
improvement on the original plan, and will deserve to be incorporated
into that of a future Convention; they are the more naturally led to
this conclusion, as in the course of their reflections on the subject,
they have been induced to think, that the power of regulating trade is
of such comprehensive extent, and will enter so far into the general
System of the federal government, that to give it efficacy, and to
obviate questions and doubts concerning its precise nature and limits,
may require a correspondent adjustment of other parts of the Federal
System.
That there are important defects in the system of the Federal Government
is acknowledged by the Acts of all those States, which have concurred in
the present Meeting; That the defects, upon a closer examination, may be
found greater and more numerous, than even these acts imply, is at least
so far probably, from the embarrassments which characterize the present
State of our national affairs, foreign and domestic, as may reasonably
be supposed to merit a deliberate and candid discussion, in some mode,
which will unite the Sentiments and Councils of all the States. In the
choice of the mode, your Commissioners are of opinion, that a Convention
of Deputies from the different States, for the special and sole purpose
of entering into this investigation, and digesting a plan for supplying
such defects as may be discovered to exist, will be entitled to a
preference from considerations, which will occur without being
particularized.
Your Commissioners decline an enumeration of those national
circumstances on which their opinion respecting the propriety of a
future Convention, with more enlarged powers, is founded; as it would be
a useless intrusion of facts and observations, most of which have been
frequently the subject of public discussion, and none of which can have
escaped the penetration of those to whom they would in this instance be
addressed. They are, however, of a nature so serious, as, in the view of
your Commissioners, to render the situation of the United States
delicate and critical, calling for an exertion of the untied virtue and
wisdom of all the members of the Confederacy.
Under this impression, Your Commissioners, with the most respectful
deference, beg leave to suggest their unanimous conviction that it may
essentially tend to advance the interests of the union if the States, by
whom they have been respectively delegated, would themselves concur, and
use their endeavors to procure the concurrence of the other States, in
the appointment of Commissioners, to meet at Philadelphia on the second
Monday in May next, to take into consideration the situation of the
United States, to devise such further provisions as shall appear to them
necessary to render the constitution of the Federal Government adequate
to the exigencies of the Union; and to report such an Act for that
purpose to the United States in Congress assembled, as when agreed to,
by them, and afterwards confirmed by the Legislatures of every State,
will effectually provide for the same.
Though your Commissioners could not with propriety address these
observations and sentiments to any but the States they have the honor to
represent, they have nevertheless concluded from motives of respect, to
transmit copies of the Report to the United States in Congress
assembled, and to the executives of the other States.
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