The men featured in this conversation will be:
Alexander Hamilton James Madison
John Jay George Clinton
Robert Yates
Samuel Bryan
Patrick Henry
Melancton Smith
Richard Henry
(Several men enter a room. The room is dimly lit, with only candles to provide it with light. Several tables are scattered across the rooms, with papers and inkwells on each of them. The walls are a beige color, yet look as if they need to be repainted. It is well kept however, and the chairs and furnishings look as if they are cleaned regularly. It looks like a classroom at some university.)
James Madison- (Walking toward the audience) Recently, 12 of the 13 states sent delegates to a Constitutional Convention. The purpose of this convention was to fix our country's government. Under the Articles of Confederation, there was too much power given to the states, and too little given to the government.
The Articles of Conferderation, ratified in 1781. ...
The Articles of Conferderation, ratified in 1781. ...
The Articles of Conferderation, ratified in 1781. ...The government did not have the power to create an army to protect us from insurrections within ourselves...
Robert Yates- (Interrupting) Protect us from insurrections!!! The government that you fine gentlemen created will someday become a tyranny!! This constitution is calculated to restrain the influence and power of the lower class to draw that discrimination we have so long sought after; to secure to our friends privileges and offices, which were not to be ... [obtained] under the former government, because they were in common; to take the burden of legislation and attendance on public business off the commonalty, who will be much better able thereby to prosecute with effect their private business; to destroy that political thirteen headed monster, the state sovereignties; to check the licentiousness of the people by making it dangerous to speak or publish daring or tumultuary sentiments; to enforce obedience to laws by a strong...