326 NATURAL AND CIVIL 



f of the United States shall be directed to de- 

 ' si.^ate the persons voted for, by declaring 

 ' which is voted for as president, and which as 



* vice president. And in pursuance of an un- 



* doubted right, inherent in this legislature, be 



* it further Resolved^ That the senators of this 



* state, in the United States, are hereby instruct- 



* cd, and the representatives of the people of 



* this state, in the Congress of the United States 



* are hereby earnestly requested to use their best 



* exertions in obtaining the above alterations in 



* the constitution of the United States, or some 



* other amendment which will be substantially 



* equivalent."* The resolution passed without 

 any difficulty,! and was adopted by the council. J 

 But although the resolution was passed by a 

 great majority, still it did not amount to what 

 the leaders desired and expected. It was not 

 probable that such a resolution coming from a 

 single state, vv^ould have any considerable effect : 

 To give it weight, energy, and extent, it was 

 every way more eligible that it' should come re- 

 commended by the Congress of the United 

 States. 



As the time passed away, the leading mem- 

 bers of the assembly became extremely impa- 

 tient to hear from Congress. Every moment 

 were they looking for a messenger, to bring on 

 the proposed alterations in the constitution. 

 Thev did not come. What should be done '? 

 To lengthen out their session to an unusual pe- 

 riod, would render them unpopular among their 

 constituents. To finish the session without 

 adopting the alteration that was to be made, was 



* Page 66. \ p. 89. 1 p. 105. 



