and will enter so far into the General System of the Fœderal Government, that to give it efficacy, and to obviate questions and doubts concerning it's precise nature and limits, may require a correspondent adjustment of other Parts of the Fœderal System.

That there are important defects in the System of the Fœderal Government, is acknowledged by the Acts of all those States which have concurred in the present Meeting. That the defects, upon a closer examination may be found greater and more numerous than even these Acts imply, is at least so far probable from the embarrassments which characterize the present state of our National Affairs, foreign and domestic, as may reasonably be supposed to merit a deliberate and candid discussion, in some mode, which will unite the Sentiments and Councils of all the States. In the choice of the mode your Commissioners are of Opinion, that a Convention of Deputies from the different States, for the special and sole purpose of entering into this investigation and digesting a Plan for supplying such defects as may be discovered to exist will be entitled to a preference, from Considerations which will occur without being particularized.

Your Commissioners decline an enumeration of those National Circumstances on which their Opinion respecting the Propriety of a future Convention with more enlarged Powers is founded; as it would be an useless intrusion of facts and Observations, most of which have been frequently the Subject of Public Discussion, and none of which can have escaped the penetration of those to whom they would in this instance be addressed. They are however of a nature so serious as, in the View of your Commissioners, to render the situation of the United States, delicate and critical, calling for an exertion

of the united Virtue and Wisdom of all the Members of the

Confederacy.

Under this Impression Your Commissioners, with the most respectful deference, beg leave to suggest their unanimous conviction that it may essentially tend to advance the interests of the Union, if the States by whom they have been respectively delegated would themselves concur, and use their endeavours to procure the concurrence of the other States, in the Appointment of Commissioners to meet at Philadelphia on the second Monday in May next, to take into Consideration the situation of the United States, to devise such further Provisions as shall appear to them necessary to render the Constitution of the Fœderal Government adequate to the exigencies of the Union; and to report such an Act for that purpose to the United States in Congress Assembled, as when "agreed to by them and afterwards confirmed by the "Legislatures of every State" will effectually provide for the same.

Though your Commissioners could not with propriety address these Observations and Sentiments to any but the States they have the honor to Represent, they have nevertheless concluded, from motives of respect, to transmit Copies of this Report, to the United States in Congress Assembled, and to the Executives of the other States.

By Order of the Commissioners

Dated at Annapolis

September 14th 1786.

JOHN DICKINSON, Chairman

The foregoing Letter having been referred to a Grand Committee, and the Report of the Comtee thereon being called up on 21st Febr3 1787, and read in the words following

"Congress having had under Consideration the Letter of John Dickinson Esq. Chairman of the Commissioners, who assembled at Annapolis, during the last Year; also the proceedings of the said Commissioners, and entirely coinciding with them, as to the inefficiency of the federal Government, and the necessity of devising such farther provisions as shall render the same adequate to the exigencies of the Union, do strongly recommend to the different Legislatures to send forward Delegates, to meet the proposed Convention, on the second Monday in May next, at the City of Philadelphia"

The Delegates for New York, thereupon laid before Congress Instructions which they had received from their Constituents, and in pursuance of the said Instructions, moved to postpone the farther Consideration of the Report, in order to take up the following Proposition, viz.

"That it be recommended to the States composing the Union, that a Convention of Representatives from the said States respectively, be held at

on

for

the purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation and perpetual Union between the United States of America, and reporting to the United States in Congress Assembled, and to the States respectively, such alterations and amendments of the said Articles of Confederation, as the Representatives met in such Convention, shall judge proper and necessary to render them adequate to the preservation and support of the Union."

The Motion for postponing was lost

A Motion was then made by the Delegates for Massachu

:

setts, to postpone the farther Consideration of the Report, in order to take into Consideration, a Motion which they read

in their Place; this being agreed to, the Motion of the Dele

gates for Massachusetts was taken up. and being amended, was agreed to as follows.

By

The United States in Congress Assembled

February 21st 1787.

Whereas there is provision in the Articles of Confederation and perpetual Union, for making alterations therein, by the assent of a Congress of the United States, and of the legislatures of the several States; and whereas experience hath evinced, that there are defects in the present confederation, as a mean to remedy which, several of the States, and particularly the State of New-York, by express instructions to their Delegates in Congress, have suggested a Convention for the purposes expressed in the following Resolution; and such Convention appearing to be the most probable mean of establishing in these States a firm national Government.

Resolved, That in the opinion of Congress, it is expedient, that on the second Monday in May next, a Convention of Delegates, who shall have been appointed by the several States, be held at Philadelphia, for the sole and express purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation, and reporting to Congress and the several Legislatures, such alterations and provisions therein, as shall, when agreed to in Congress, and confirmed by the States, render the federal Constitution adequate to the exigencies of Government, and the preservation of the Union.

Pursuant to the above Act of Congress which was transmitted to the several States the following Appointments were made.

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