ever, was taken. In the same year commissioners from Virginia
and Maryland met at Alexandria, Va., to arrange differences relative to
the navigation of the Potomac, the Roanoke, and Chesapeake Bay. The
deliberations showed the necessity of having other states participate in
the arrangement of a compact. In 1786 the legislature of Virginia
appointed commissioners "to meet such as might be appointed by the other
states of the Union, ... to take into consideration the trade of the
United States." Only four states accepted the invitation. Commissioners
from the five states met at Annapolis, and framed a report advising that
the states appoint 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." [Footnote: Elliot's Debates] In accordance
with this suggestion, congress passed a resolution, February 21, 1787,
recommending that a convention of delegates, "who shall have been
appointed by the several states, be held at Philadelphia, for the sole and
express purpose of revising the articles of confederation." [Footnote:
Elliott's Debates]

The Constitutional Convention.--In response to the call of congress,
delegates from all the states except Rhode Island met in Philadelphia. By
May 25, a quorum had assembled, the convention organized, with George
Washington as chairman, and began its momentous work.

It was soon discovered that it would be useless to attempt to amend the
articles of confederation. They were radically defective, and a new plan
of government was seen to be necessary. The _national_ idea must be
re-established as the basis of the political organization.

"It was objected by some members that they had no power, no authority, to
construct a new government. They certainly had no authority, if their
decisions were to be final; and no authority whatever, under the articles
of confederation, to adopt the course they did. But they knew that their
labors were only to be suggestions; and that they as well as any private
individuals, and any private individuals as well as they, had a right to
propose a plan of government to the people for their adoption.... The
people, by their expressed will, transformed this suggestion, this
proposal, into an organic law, and the people might h