Knox, Henry (1750-1806) [Paper on the United States Constitution]

[draft]
- The history of the human race [struck: does] [inserted: does] not exhibit a crises more important to the [struck: liberties] [inserted: affairs] of any particular nation than the present is to the liberties of the United States. Convinced of the inefficacy of the articles of confederation; [inserted: as a national [struck: sys] system of government] and anxious to obtain [inserted: a better] without the horrors of commotion a better system they have delegated powers to the convention, to deliberate, [struck: &] to agree on a system, and to propose the same to them [struck: for their] [inserted: to the public for] consideration.
The enlightned citizens are well aware, that [struck: no people were ever blessed with a more] [inserted: America possesses a most] fortunate [struck: combination] [inserted: [text loss] [illegible]] circumstances, [struck: in order to be] [inserted: to form] a great and flourishing nation They are earnestly desirous of knowing the causes which impede their progress to national felicity and the best mode of [2] of removing the obstructions - Happy indeed will it be for the present day and for our posterity of the result of the consultations [inserted and struck: of the convention] [inserted: of the convention] terminate in a free vigorous and durable system of national government - a system which will stimulate the mind to the highest exertions, and greatest expansion in the cause of our country, and at the same time restrain the operation of the sable colored passions of the human heart -
In order to [struck: give] the subject the fairest investigation, and form just conclusions thereon, it will be indispensibly [sic] necessary that the Convention should consider themselves as at full liberty to propose any edifice or frame of a national [text loss]blic [inserted: which shall appear the most productive of happiness] provided they fix as the foundation thereof the great principles of Laws and Liberty -
Unless they feel themselves thus circumstanced, they will but ill execute the trust reposed in them - Their [3] deliberations will be cramped by an invisible but strongly operating cause - and they will add another instance to the lamentable experience of the world, that [m]ost or all governments are more the result of accident, and events than of [inserted and strikeout] [inserted: penetration and] wisdom -
We [struck: are now] [inserted: shall soon be] borne on the full current of events, [struck: and] [struck: Unless therefore we] [inserted: Every consideration presses us to] seize the infinitely precious opportunity [inserted: of the present moment] to form an effective government, instead of a system accommodated to the prejudices of [struck: contracted] minds - [inserted: Unless we act [illegible] at this crisis] We shall suffer the miseries of anarchy [inserted: and its inevitable companion tyranny] to overwhelm our country - & Posterity will hold our memories responsible for the evils which they may suffer [inserted and strikeout] [struck: in consequence of our [embecility] of mind] [inserted in the left hand margin: political storms will arise - how or where we shall land can scarcly [sic] be [conjrd]- Heaven, [inserted: gracious heaven] preserve our liberties from being [struck: that w] wicked.] [strikeout] [Impressed] [4] [struck: Impressed with the truth of] If these observations [inserted: [are]] it will be [struck: proper] [inserted: essential] to propose to the people [struck: of] at large [inserted: regardless of [struck: the consequences of [illegible]] [our] personal consequences] the system of Government, which shall most advance the [ha]ppiness and dignity of the nation - If the arguments which shall accompany the proposed system be clear and strong, the good sense of the people will most probably induce them to accept it - But if unfortunately it should be rejected by some of the States, the convention will stand acquitted at the highest human tribunal - The tribunal of their own minds -
It [h]as been urged that the habits of the people are so fixed that they would not accede to any capital alterations of the articles of the confederation - If we recur to our
[5] In the history of the human race there never arose perhaps a crisis more important to [struck: a par] any particular people, than the present is to the citizens of America - Feeling the ill effects of [struck: a well intended] [inserted: the [struck: operating] present] system [inserted: & they have [struck: deputyed] sent by] [struck: we are deputed here] to endevor [struck: in the most] to form a government which will better answer the purposes of a people destined by a [struck: fo] most fortunate combination of circumstances to be a great Nation.
Happy indeed will it be for our constituents [inserted: and our posterity] if the result or our deliberations terminate [struck: in a system of government, the most free & happy] in a free and durable system of [struck: gov] national government
A government which will stimulate the Mind to the highest exertions and greatest expansion [inserted: in the cause of our country] and [6] and at the same time curb the operations of the black [inserted: sable colored] passions of the human heart -
In order fairly to investigate the subject, and form just conclusions thereon, it appears indispensably necessary that we should consider ourselves as at full liberty, to erect any edifice or frame of government [inserted: that shall appear to be most happy] provided, we fix [struck: as the] [inserted: its] basis [inserted: on the great principles of] Law and Liberty
Unless we feel ourselves [strikeout] [inserted: thus circumstanced] we shall but ill execute the trust reposed in us - our [struck: deliberations] [inserted: consultations] will be cramped by an invisible but [stronly] [sic] operating cause - and we may add another instance, to the lamentable experience of human nature that most or all governments [are] more the result of accident and events that of deliberation and wisdom [7] I am Deeply Impressed [struck: as I am,] that we are now borne on the full current of events; [struck: and] [inserted: and] that unless we embrace this infinitely precious opportunity to form, an effective instead of an accommodating system - [inserted: that] we shall suffer the [struck: [woes] and] miseries of anarchy to overwhelm our Country - and for which suffering will hold our memories responsible
Under these convictions I am for proposing to the people at large the system of government which shall most [struck: regard t] advance the happiness and dignity of the nation - If the [struck: agr] arguments which shall accompany the proposed system shall be clean and strong, [struck: there may] it may be [struck: hoped] [inserted: expected] that the good sense of the people will [8] induce them to accept the system proposed - If unfortunately however [strikeout] some of the states should [struck: regard the system] [inserted: view [it] differently from the convention] [inserted: reject it of the consequences] we shall stand acquitted [struck: In our own minds] [inserted: at the] highest human tribunal - The tribunal of our minds
But I should hope that the system which the dispassionate wisdom of the convention should propose would be accepted - [inserted: notwithstanding [strikeout] the opinion to the contrary] It has been [struck: said] urged that the habits of the people are so fixed that they would not accedee [sic] to any [struck: of] [the plan] alterations of the [struck: present system] present articles of confederation - If we [struck: should revert to our] [inserted: rever [struck: the] to our] habits [struck: which existed] [inserted: of government] fifteen [struck: ag] years ago, and which [were] the habits of our forefathers, we shall find that it is not impossible to change habits - Are our habits [inserted: present [struck: political] of government], [struck: the result] approved by [ourr] judgments
[9] If the contrary is the case, we ought surely to attempt to imbible [sic] [struck: political habits,] [inserted: others] which will not continually [struck: wound] [inserted: irritate] our minds as well as to insure our dearest corporeal interests -
Several plans [struck: have] of Government have been proposed [struck: respecting which it is unnecessary for me to enter into the [inserted: any] particular details] [inserted: to the Correlation] - They have been so [struck: ably amplified] [inserted: illustrated & discuss'd] by [struck: several] gentlemen of great talents that it would be useless for me to enter into any particular details respecting them -
I [struck: must,] beg however for the indulgence of a few general remarks [struck: Much has been ably urged, respecting the c] to conform, the general and state governments in such a manner, that the latter might serve as parts to assist the former
[inserted in the left hand margin: This subject of national habits, indeed deserves our [inserted: most] serious consideration - Perhaps [struck: we may be able] by the vigor of the [struck: proposed] system, we shall propose we may be able to create habits which in their operation shall have the happiest tendency to support the system itself - The power of habit is [strikeout] [even] applied to an [individual but it is uniformly aplied]
[inserted on the top left hand corner: applied to [material] objects - ]
[10] [inserted: It has been urged]
That the [struck: state] respective states should preserve [struck: the] complete sovereignty, and that [struck: a general] [powers] for certain purposes should be conceded by them, which should [struck: be served] [inserted: constitute] the general government - [struck: my apprehensions]on this s] I apprehend that this system is too complex for human nature - That any [struck: considerable] [inserted: measures for the national government] [powers] being retained by the states, inevitably establish as principles, which must in the nature of things [inserted: prevent our becoming a nation] [rend] and divide [struck: the nation] [inserted: as] asunder - The principles of our governments is favorable to faction, [facetion] and commotion are near neighbours, and most commonly fall a prey to tyranny -
The state governments may be used as the engines of [struck: designing] [inserted: Wicked] and Ambitious men to accomplish [11] their nefarious designs - According to my contemplations of the subjects Tyrannies may be formed by means of the [struck: stat] separate state sovereignties which will endure for ages - In the mean time We shall not be a nation - We shall exhibit to the [strikeout] [inserted: view] [struck: eyes] of the world, a people who are tramelled and fettered by [struck: local] narrow local, and execrable attachments -
We serve people by different modification on generous and general principles would exhibit, a power, that might charm, All liberal [12] minds of the present age, and serve as a model of happiness for posterity -
I [struck: cons] am of opinion that the [struck: general] [inserted: national] government ought to possess full and complete powers within itself, [struck: and without asking] [inserted: [unconstrained] by any [struck: stat]] the concurrence by any state or corporate body [to] [deliberte] [sic], decree, and execute
That all the powers retained by the state governments should be as parts of a whole and not [struck: comple whole, or] whole [strikeout] [inserted: and complete in] themselves - If this modification can take place, it may be happy for the people at large as a nation - If it is [inserted: morally] impossible, [struck: I can see] no other alternative [inserted: can be devised] but the abolition of the state governments or [13] or the annihilation of all hopes [struck: of being a nation] - founded on our existence as a nation
[struck: I have]
Respecting the form of [struck: the] national government [struck: I h] I am more diffident - Many and important [are] the arguments that have been and may be urged in favor of different systems - The result of every thing which my mind has received on this subject, is that a [inserted: [national] republic may be formed, having its powers so nicely balanced, and its checks so established as to [inserted: fully] ensure the great [bessings] [sic] of government -
That in order to render it truly a government of Laws, and not [struck: of men] [inserted: of caprice some of its branches, should be arranged on the principle of good behaviour, the purest and noblest incitement to [14] [strikeout] proper actions - That an adequate tribunal should be erected in order to ascertain the breach or defect of this principle, and [struck: provis] proper provision for to carry its judgement into effect
I am persuaded that the wisdom of this assembly will lead them to [struck: make] decide on an efficient and proper form of government, & were it proper on this occasion, I should humbly pray the great fountain of light so to [struck: det] illumine our understandings on this great occasion -
Clear I am, that whatever [forms], shall on the [struck: whole be,] whole be thought to be most likely to perpetuate [strikeout] the liberty and design of the nation, that we should have the fortitude to propose it to the people, regardless of any [consequences] [15] which may arise from the [illegible] [prelation] of bad men -
Having attended [inserted: to the debates] with [struck: anx] with the greatest [solcitude] [sic] with the greatest solicitude for information, I conceived it to be my duty to give my opinions [struck: f[ull]] freely on the points herein stated -