Chapter 5

GERMS OF NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY.

Creation of a national domain beyond the Alleghanies 187, 188

Conflicting claims to the western territory 189

Claims of Massachusetts and Connecticut 189, 190

Claims of New York 190

Virginia's claims 191

Maryland's novel and beneficent suggestion 192

The several states yield their claims in favour of the United States 193, 194

Magnanimity of Virginia 195

Jefferson proposes a scheme of government for the northwestern territory 196

Names of the proposed ten states 197

Jefferson wishes to prohibit slavery in the national domain 198

North Carolina's cession of western lands 199

John Sevier and the state of Franklin 200, 201

The northwestern territory 202

Origin of the Ohio company 203

The Ordinance of 1787 204-206

Theory of folkland upon which the ordinance was based 207

Spain, hearing of the secret article in the treaty of 1783, loses her temper and threatens to shut up the Mississippi River 208, 209

Gardoqui and Jay 210

Threats of secession in Kentucky and New England 211

Washington's views on the political importance of canals between east and west 212

His far-sighted genius and self-devotion 213

Maryland confers with Virginia regarding the navigation of the Potomac 214

The Madison-Tyler motion in the Virginia legislature 215

Convention at Annapolis, Sept 11, 1786 216

Hamilton's address calling for a convention at Philadelphia 217

The impost amendment defeated by the action of New York; last ounce upon the camel's back 218-220

Sudden changes in popular sentiment 221

The Federal Convention meets at Philadelphia, May, 1787 222

Mr. Gladstone's opinion of the work of the convention 223

The men who were assembled there 224, 225

Character of James Madison 226, 227

The other leading members 228

Washington chosen president of the convention 229