Untitled - the Digital Library of Georgia

CHAPTER I
GEORGIA THE FOURTH STATE TO RATIFY THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION—
HER, REMOTENESS FKOM THE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT ALONE DENIES HER
THE FIRST HONORS—NEARLY A MONTH ELAPSES BEFORE A COPY OF
THE NEW COMPACT OF UNION Is RECEIVED BY THE STATE AUTHORITIES
—GEORGIA 's ACTION UNANIMOUS—THREE STATES, NEW YORK, RHODE
ISLAND AND NORTH CAROLINA, AT FIRST REJECT THE INSTRUMENT
BECAUSE IT INVOLVED A SURRENDER OF Too MUCH SOVEREIGN POWER
—WHY GEORGIA FAVORED A STRONG CENTRAL GOVERNMENT—THE
GREAT CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF 1787—WASHINGTON ITS
PRESIDENT—AN ASSEMBLAGE OF MASTER-MINDS—GEORGIA'S DELE
GATES—THREE GREAT COMPROMISES OF THE CONSTITUTION—GEORGIA,
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE, FAVORS AN UNEQUAL REPRESENTATION IN
THE LOWER HOUSE, BASED UPON POPULATION—HER VOTE DIVIDED AS
TO REPRESENTATION IN THE SENATE—THE EXISTING PARITY OF THE
STATES DUE TO ABRAHAM BALDWIN'S VOTE ON THE CONNECTICUT
COMPROMISE—AN EXCITING MOMENT—SLAVES TO BE COUNTED ON
A BASIS OF THREE-FIFTHS IN FIXING A RATIO OF REPRESENTATION—
GEORGIA MAKES AN UNSUCCESSFUL EFFORT TO SECURE A FULL COUNT
OF SLAVES—THE STATE Is GIVEN THREE REPRESENTATIVES IN THE
LOWER HOUSE—GEORGIA DEMANDS A CONTINUANCE OF THE FOREIGN
SLAVE TRADE—Is SUPPORTED BY SOUTH CAROLINA IN THIS DEMAND—
FORCES NEW ENGLAND TO SUPPORT A TWENTY-YEAR EXTENSION OF
THE TRAFFIC—THE YEAR 1808 FIXED AS THE TIME WHEN THE IM
PORTATION OF SLAVES MUST CEASE—DELEGATIONS FROM ALL THE
STATES SIGN THE CONSTITUTION, RHODE ISLAND ALONE EXCEPTED—
GEORGIA'S RATIFICATION ANNOUNCED BY A SALUTE OF THIRTEEN
GUNS—THE AUGUSTA CONVENTION—ITS MEMBERSHIP—EFFECT OF
GEORGIA'S ACTION UPON THE OTHER STATES.
On January 2, 1788, Georgia formally ratified the Federal Constitu
tion, declaring by this act her willingness to enter the proposed fed
eration since known as the United States of America. But the consent
of all the states was not obtained for two full years. Nor was it until
March 4, 1789, that Congress met to launch the new Ship of State upon
the political seas. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the Federal
Constitution. Her remoteness from the seat of government alone denied
her the first place. Nearly a month elapsed before a copy of the new
compact of union was received by the state authorities. Otherwise her
promptness would have made her the first state to ratify the great docu
ment. The states preceding Georgia in the order of ratification were
Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey—all grouped around the seat
of government. Her own ratification was unanimous. But in most of
345