eparate States, or with any associations of delegates from
such States, having, agreeably to your excellency's instructions,
repaired to Washington and conferred with the delegates of twenty
other States of the American Union, now respectfully submit the
following report of the proceedings of the said Convention, and of the
action of the Commissioners from Massachusetts.

The Convention commenced its sessions on the 4th of February, and
closed its deliberations on the 27th of the same month. The
Massachusetts Commissioners repaired to Washington as early as
practicable after their appointment, and presented their credentials
on the 8th of February.

The sessions of the Convention were secret; although repeated efforts
were made, with the concurrence of the undersigned, first, to remove
the injunction of secrecy, then to admit the public to witness the
deliberations, and then to procure a complete and accurate report of
the debates and doings. These efforts failed, and the undersigned are
therefore able only to transmit a copy of the Journal of the
Convention.[10]

[Footnote 10: An authentic copy of the Journal was not received until
the 21st instant and the Commissioners did not feel prepared to make a
report without an opportunity for consulting it.]

On the 6th of February a resolution was adopted, upon the motion of
Mr. Guthrie, of Kentucky, that a "committee of one from each State be
appointed by the Commissioners thereof, to whom should be referred the
resolutions of the State of Virginia, and the other States
represented, and all propositions for the adjustment of existing
difficulties between the States." Mr. Crowninshield represented
Massachusetts upon this committee. At the earliest practicable moment
he called for a specific statement of the grievances complained of by
the discontented States of the Union. This call elicited much
discussion, but no definite response to the demand was ever made
either in the committee or in Convention.

On the 15th of February, Mr. Guthrie, from the committee of one from
each State, made a report recommending certain amendments to the
Constitution of the United States. This report was adopted in
committee by a majority of five States, the delegates from Kansas not
having then taken their seats in the Convention.

A copy of this report may be found upon the twenty-second and
twenty-third pages of the Journal. After much discussion and many
amendments, the several section