The Slavery Problem; Second Compromise.—­How was the number of the representatives to be found?  Were slaves to be counted a part of the population?  A heated debate arose over these questions.  The delegates from South Carolina maintained that slaves were a part of the population and as such should be counted.  The answer was made that slaves were not represented in the legislatures of that and other States; that slaves were regarded in those States merely as so much property, and as such ought never to be represented.  Finally, when it seemed that the work of the convention must fail, a compromise, known as “the three-fifths compromise,” was accepted.  This provided that all free people should be counted and three-fifths of the slaves.

The Third Compromise.—­Slave-trade and commerce were the causes for a third compromise.  South Carolina and Georgia desired to have the importation of slaves continued.  Some of the other Southern States and the Northern States generally were opposed.  The New England members were anxious that the National government should have complete control of foreign commerce.  This was resisted by some of the Southern delegates, who feared that the importation of slaves might thereby be prohibited.  Finally, a compromise was agreed upon which gave Congress power over foreign and interstate commerce, but forbade any act which might prohibit the importation of slaves before 1808.  It was also agreed that a tax of ten dollars each might be laid on all slaves imported.  While the entire Constitution may be said to be made up of compromises, the agreement upon these three rendered the further work of the convention possible.

Signing the Constitution.—­Gouverneur Morris was selected to give the document its final form.  The clear, simple English used is due largely to him.  After thirty-nine members, representing twelve different States, had signed the Constitution, the convention adjourned.  While the last signatures were being written, Franklin said to those standing near him, as he called attention to a sun blazoned on the back of the President’s chair:  “I have, often and often, in the course of the session, and the vicissitudes of my hopes and fears as to its issue, looked at that behind the President, without being able to tell whether it was rising or setting; but now, at length, I have the happiness to know that it is a rising and not a setting sun.”

Difficulties of Ratification.—­The convention submitted the Constitution to Congress.  Here, for eight days, it was attacked by its opponents.  Finally, Congress passed it on to the State legislatures.  It was sent by them to State conventions elected by the people.  This ratification was provided for by Article VII of the Constitution, as follows:  The ratification of the conventions of nine States shall be sufficient for the establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the same.