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Defending the Constitution
been called on by Congress annually for supplies until the general system of finance proposed in 1783 should take place.
It was at this time that the want of an efficient federal government was
first complained of, and the powers vested in Congress were found to be
inadequate to the procuring of the benefits that should result from the
union. The impost was granted by most of the States, but many refused
the supplementary funds; the annual requisitions were set at naught by
some of the States, while others complied with them by legislative acts,
but were tardy in their payments, and Congress found themselves incapable of complying with their engagements and supporting the federal
government. It was found that our national character was sinking in the
opinion of foreign nations. The Congress could make treaties of commerce, but could not enforce the observance of them. We were suffering
from the restrictions of foreign nations, who had suckled our commerce
while we were unable to retaliate, and all now agreed that it would be
advantageous to the union to enlarge the powers of Congress, that they
should be enabled in the amplest manner to regulate commerce and to
lay and collect duties on the imports throughout the United States. With
this view, a convention was first proposed by Virginia, and finally recommended by Congress for the different States to appoint deputies to
meet in convention, ‘‘for the purposes of revising and amending the present articles of confederation, so as to make them adequate to the exigencies of the union.’’ This recommendation the legislatures of twelve States
complied with so hastily as not to consult their constituents on the subject; and though the different legislatures had no authority from their
constituents for the purpose, they probably apprehended the necessity
would justify the measure, and none of them extended their ideas at that
time further than ‘‘revising and amending the present articles of confederation.’’ Pennsylvania, by the act appointing deputies, expressly confined their powers to this object, and though it is probable that some of
the members of the assembly of this State had at that time in contemplation to annihilate the present confederation, as well as the constitution of
Pennsylvania, yet the plan was not sufficiently matured to communicate
it to the public.
The majority of the legislature of this commonwealth were at that time
under the influence of the members from the city of Philadelphia. They