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Show 94 TilE FEDERAIJ CONVENTION. lSth and 20Lb, ma,dc 11 report cmborlying. t~lC gcncrnJ views of lhc propo itio11s ns rommitlr~, but stnkmg out the fol-lowino · propo ·ilions of Mr. MadiSOn, "'l~o dispose o.f the unappropri11ted lands of the United SL11tes." "To in stitute temporary governments for now States n.risin(J' therein." [ N~te .-If, as is claimed, th_e framers of the constitution intended to invest Congre. s w1lh the power of government over tenitories, why was this proposition of Mr . .Mudi.on strnck out which conferred that power in express terms l JL iH diLTicult to explain this acti on npon any other hypothesis than that they intended no such power to be lodged in the fcdorn.l government; for it cannot be snpposed that the sages of that Convention were so fond of 1·mz:lications, as to strike from tho frame of government, wlnch they were preparing, e.r:p1·css wo'rds, for the sake of having powers inferred.] A u.yust 23. 'rhe convention '.vas engaged in tho dis-cu- ion of the subject of the militia, treaty-making power, etc. August 24. Gov. Livingston, from ihe committee of eleven to whom was referred tbo c1anse of the fourth section of the seventh article, relating to tbe i ro portation of slaves, made the following report. "Strike out so much of the fourth section as was referred to the committee and insert:-' The migration or importa· tion of such persons as the several States now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the legislatures prior to the year 1800, but a tax or duty may be imposed on such immigration or importation, not exceed· ing the average duties laid on imports.'" August 25. The above report was tn,ken up. Gen. Pinck· ney moved to strike out the year 1800 as the year limiting the importing of slaves, and insert 1808. Mr. Madison op· THE FEDERAT.J CONVENTION. 95 posed it on the ground ihaL so long a period would be more disho11ora1Jle than though nothi11g \Yas said about it in Lhe constitution. On tbe motion of Gen. Pinckney to extend the importn.t' of slaves till 1808. 100 New Jlampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut :.Maryland North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia ~otcd Aye: New J crs.cy, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Virginia votcll No. So It was agreed to. Some further amendmeu ts were proposed n 1 d .· t l , , w 1 l'C'JCC CU. l he report as amended wa then agreed to by the ·ume vote as on Gen. Pinckn ey's amendment. A.ugust 27. 'rhe 27 Lh and 2 Lh were occupied in discnls. lllg the jndiciul branch of tho govemmont, and the sn JjCCt of commerce. .August 29. .Mr. BuLler movctl to in sert after .Arti-cle 15- ~~If any person bound to se rvice or labor in any of ~ho United States shall escnpc into another State be or she shall not be discharged from snch service or laGor in cons •qncnce of any regulations subsisting in Lhe SLate to which 1:hc_y ~scape, _but s~all be delivered np to the person justly ~l:ummg· then· se rvice or Jabot·;" which was agreed to unanImously without debate. :Mr. Morris, of Pennsylvania, moved the followin(J'. " 'l' Il e l cgl.s 1a t.u re shall have power to dispose of, ano d. make n.II needful rules a d l t' . < n regu a IOns respecting tho territory ot· oL~1Cr _property belonging to tllc United StaLes. and no-tthom (~J' m. t.h i s cons t'I t~t·t on contained shall be so co'n strued as plCJUd!Ce any clmms, either of the United States, or of ~ny particular States." This section was agreed to, Maryand alone disscntino- n· [Note If · 1 • t . - ' as IS c mmed, the above section was intended 0 O'Jve Con(J'ress tl · 1 f f 0 . o 1e ng 1t o government over the peonle 0 lhe terntoric s, 11 ow cou ld t· t have passed so nearly unarn i-mous, and without debate, when the proposition of Mr. |