offered therein to the Declaration of Rights and the presumptuous aid intended to Christ's visible church below, were very alarming—and in the month of last June I joined some persons in the lower counties in this neck in offering to the people, there, a petition addressed to the General Assembly noting therein some reasons against the bill and praying that it might be rejected. I fully intend to present to the people to-morrow the Remonstrance and Memorial." 1

Many of the Virginia statesmen, however, still clung to the principle of some compulsory law for the support of religion. Edmund Randolph, Patrick Henry, Richard Henry Lee, and John Page of "Rosewell," afterwards Governor of Virginia, all of them members of the Church of England, favored an assessment by the State for this purpose. John Page wrote to Jefferson in August, 1785: “We have endeavored eight years in vain to support the rational sects by voluntary contributions." And the clergy of the former establishment were many of them without the means of remaining in their parishes. Yet churchmen such as George Mason, Madison, and George Nicholas looked beyond the exigencies of the hour, and were ready to sacrifice present convenience for the sake of the principle involved. And theirs, which was the religion of a majority of the landed gentry, was, of course, the "rational sect" which suffered most from the new order of things.

Colonel Mason wrote to Washington early in November, making reference to the proceedings of the Assembly then in session :

DEAR SIR:

GUNSTON HALL, 9th November, 1785.

The bearer waits on you with a side of venison (the first we have killed this season), which I beg your acceptance of.

I have heard nothing from the Assembly except vague reports of their being resolved to issue a paper currency; upon what principles or funds I know not; perhaps upon the old threadbare security of pledging solemnly the public credit. I believe such

1 Carter Letter-Books.

an experiment would prove similar to the old vulgar adage of carrying a horse to the water. They may pass a law to issue it, but twenty laws will not make people receive it.

I intended to go down to Richmond about the fifteenth of the month to have reported the compact with the Maryland commissioners, but I have lately had so severe a fit of the convulsive colic, or the gout, in my stomach, that I dare not venture far from home; it held me from Sunday evening till Tuesday morning, and has left me so weak that I am hardly able to walk across the floor.

We hope to hear that you, your lady, and family are well; to whom Mrs. Mason and the family here present their best compliments, with those of, dear sir,

Your affectionate and obedient servant

G. MASON.1

Washington, in his diary, records a visit made to Colonel Mason on the 25th of this month. He writes: "Set out after breakfast, accompanied by Mr. G. Washington to make Mr. Mason at Colchester a visit, but hearing on the road that he had removed from there I turned in to Gunston Hall where we dined and returned in the evening." The two friends doubtless discussed Assembly affairs, the Assessment Bill, the paper-money question, the commercial compact with Maryland, etc.

Madison had visited "Mount Vernon" early in September and also on the 12th of October, staying until the 14th, as we learn from Washington's diary. And it was probably on the latter occasion that he went also to "Gunston Hall." The constant attacks of illness, of which Colonel Mason makes mention in his letters at this time, had prevented him. from going to Richmond with the report of the commission, which he wished to lay before the Assembly, so he was obliged to send it in a letter to the Speaker of the House. He wrote, about the same time, to Madison:

1 Washington MSS., State Department. Bancroft's " tution," vol. i., Appendix, p. 468.

MS. Journals, Toner Transcripts.

History of the Consti

DEAR SIR:

GUNSTON HALL, December 7th, 1785.

I have had such frequent fits of the convulsive colic, complicated with the gout in the stomach, since you were here, that I dare not undertake a journey to Richmond; and therefore, after putting it off as long as I well could, in hopes of recovering such health as would permit me to present the compact with the State of Maryland, in person, I have now inclosed it in a letter to the Speaker. I incurred a small expense of £3 15 9, in waiting three or four days in Alexandria for the Maryland commissioners; which the Assembly may repay me if they please, otherwise I am very well satisfied without it. I also incurred an expense equal to about £5 in specie, attending the committee upon the revisal of the laws in Fredericksburg, and about double that sum in Williamsburg, at different times, after the sessions of Assembly ended, in collecting evidence, and cross examining witnesses between the Commonwealth and Colonel Richard Henderson, in the cause which I was directed to manage, by a vote of both Houses; but I never made any particular account of it.

I must intreat you, if you find it necessary, to make my apology to the Assembly for having rather exceeded our authority. I gave you the reasons in a former letter, soon after the meeting of the commissioners; but least you should not recollect them, I will repeat them. . My paper draws to an end, and leaves me only room to beg your attention to the inclosed memorandum, to express my desire of hearing from you on the subject of the compact, and such other public matters as you may have time to communicate, as soon as convenience will permit; and to assure you that I am with the most sincere esteem and regard,

Dear sir,

Your affectionate friend and obedient servant,

G. MASON.1

On the 13th of December the Speaker laid before the House a letter from George Mason, Esq., enclosing the proceedings of the commissioners on the compact between the States of Virginia and Maryland respecting the jurisdiction and navigation of the rivers Potomac and Pokomoke; which

1 Madison MSS., State Department.

THE ANNAPOLIS CONVENTION.

93

were read and referred to the Committee on Commerce, and, on the 30th, the bill to ratify the compact passed the House.' The compact consisted of a dozen articles on the jurisdiction of the Chesapeake Bay and the two rivers mentioned, covering the items of tolls, fisheries, lighthouses, buoys, piracies, etc. And the letter to the Speaker from the Virginia commissioners opened up other and wider views of the commission such as the regulation of gold and silver money passing current in the two States, bills of exchange, etc., duties on imports or exports, which it was proposed should be settled by an annual commission, appointed by the legislatures of the two States, the number of the commissioners to be not less than three or more than five from each State. The conference at Mount Vernon," as it proved, was the first step in the direction of a new federal government. Maryland, in ratifying the compact and supplementary report of the commission, proposed that Pennsylvania and Delaware should be invited to unite in the same commercial system. The Virginia legislature went still further. On the 21st of January, 1786, at the close of the session, the following resolution passed the House:

66

"That Edmund Randolph, James Madison, Walter Jones, St. George Tucker, and Meriwether Smith be appointed commissioners, who, or any of them, shall meet such commissioners as may be appointed by the other States of the Union at a time and place to be agreed on, to take into consideration the trade of the United States; to examine the relative situations and trade of the said States; to consider how far a uniform system in their commercial regulations may be necessary to their common interest and their permanent harmony; and to report to the several States, such an act relative to this great object as, when unanimously ratified by them, will enable the United States in Congress effectually to provide for the same.""

'Journal of the Assembly. This letter of George Mason to the Speaker, etc. (as in the Madison MSS.), is in the State Library, Richmond.

'Journal of the Assembly.

At first only three commissioners were named, Tucker and Smith were then added by the House, and when the resolution was sent to the Senate it was amended by the addition of three others-George Mason, William Ronald, and David Ross. Ronald's name was struck out at his own desire, but the rest stood. Madison thought that there were too many, and that the multitude of associates would "stifle the thing in its birth and was probably meant to do so.

There had been much excitement in the Assembly over the question of regulating trade; on the one hand, lest the power of the States should be abridged, and, on the other, lest the power of Congress should be inadequate to the purposes for which the Union had been formed. Mr. Tyler introduced the proposition of a convention at the last moment, having vainly sought an earlier opportunity to effect his object. To invest Congress with the means of regulating commerce, and yet insure certain qualifying clauses, it was thought would satisfy both the friends of Congress and the upholders of the rights of the States. Colonel Mason's opinions on the subject were not clearly known. It was suspected that he was adverse to a stronger Union, and those who favored it desired to obtain an influence so important. Monroe wrote to Madison from New York, where Congress was in session, on the 3d of September: "I consider the convention of Annapolis as a most important era in our affairs. Prevail, I beg of you,

on Colonel Mason to attend the convention. It will give him data to act on afterward in the State.' The convention met on the 11th of September, 1786, but George Mason did not attend, doubtless on account of the attacks of gout, from which he still suffered. Commissioners were present from four States only-New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Edmund Randolph, Madison, and St. George Tucker were the three delegates who at

144 Writings of Madison," vol. i., p. 217. The names do not appear in the printed journal of the Senate.

Rives' "Life of Madison," vol. ii., p. 123.