d to interfere to _put down
republicanism_? And that those who were _republicans_ at the north,
might with perfect "propriety" and consistency, pledge their assistance
to the despots of the south, to sustain the worst, the meanest and most
atrocious of tyrannies? Yes, from the very same. To interfere to assist
one half of the people of a state in the cowardly, cruel and fiendish
work of crushing the other half into the earth, corresponds precisely
with their chivalrous notions of "propriety;" but it is insufferable
officiousness for them to form any political compacts that will require
them to interfere to protect the weak against the tyranny of the strong,
or to maintain justice, liberty, peace and freedom.]

[Footnote 26: Eli Whitney.]

CHAPTER IX.

THE INTENTIONS OF THE CONVENTION.

The intentions of the framers of the constitution, (if we could have, as
we cannot, any _legal_ knowledge of them, except from the words of the
constitution,) have nothing to do with fixing the legal meaning of the
constitution. That convention were not delegated to adopt or establish a
constitution; but only to consult, devise and recommend. The instrument,
when it came from their hands, was a mere proposal, having no legal
force or authority. It finally derived all its validity and obligation,
as a frame of government, from its adoption by the people at large.[27]
Of course the intentions of the people at large are the only ones, that
are of any importance to be regarded in determining the legal meaning of
the instrument. And their intentions are to be gathered entirely from
the words, which they adopted to express them. And their intentions must
be presumed to be just what, and only what the words of the instrument
_legally_ express. In adopting the constitution, the people acted as
legislators, in the highest sense in which that word can be applied to
human lawgivers. They were establishing a law that was to govern both
themselves and their government. And their intentions, like those of
other legislators, are to be gathered from the words of their
enactments. Such is the dictate of both law and common sense.[28] The
instrument had been reported by their committee, the convention. But the
people did not ask this committee what was the legal meaning of the
instrument reported. They adopted it, judging for themselves of its
legal meaning, as any other legislative body would have done. The people
at large had not even an oppo