Ratifying The Constitution: Patrick Henry And George Mason

1.

The words are those of speeches given by Patrick Henry and George Mason, two influential critics of the Constitution, during the 1788 Virginia Convention in Richmond, but someone else, presumably a secretary, recorded the document. The Virginia Convention was one of 13 held in each state to ratify the new Constitution. This convention was seen as particularly important, for Virginia’s affirmative was expected to become the last needed to officially ratify the Constitution as well as help convince the rest of the states to ratify (Shi and Mayer, 151).

Patrick Henry and George Mason both, however, argued against ratification with the rest of the Anti-Federalists. Former Virginia governor Henry had always disapproved of the constitution out

He believes that there is no need for a new constitution, explaining that “a general peace and tranquility” reined over the country until the idea of the Constitution (Shi and Mayer 152). In another point, Henry expresses how America’s alliances will other nations will be destroyed; while America’s treaties were formed by all thirteen states, only nine will be part of the nation if the constitution is ratified. This change, according to Henry, will nullify these alliances. Henry then touches upon a point he makes many times; a strong, central federal government will take away the rights of the people in a way that a confederation would not. State governments, he argues, are better at representing their own people (Shi and Mayer 152). He also declares that the focus of a government should not be on wealth or power but on liberty, something Henry believes should be “the direct end of your government” (Shi and Mayer, 154-155). One lost right Henry focuses on is the ability to change the government; no one, according to him, will be able to stand up to and change the government proposed, able to wield unlimited power. According to Henry, there are no checks or balances on the federal government’s power under this new doctrine, and rather than focus on the liberty and happiness of its citizens, the nation will focus on becoming an empire through conquest. Henry also touches upon the lack of a Bill of Rights; while the states were given explicit rights in the Articles of Confederation, the people are given none explicitly in the Constitution, leaving all power implicitly to the federal government. He believes that the inclusion of a Bill of Rights would stop a dispute from occurring (Shi and Mayer 155-157). Henry’s final subject is slavery. While he himself admits to disliking it, he insists upon its necessity, expressing how emancipation would end the “peace and