Best of all, we should be using a fox for a cat's-paw,
something which has not often been done."
The matter-of-fact man who presided straightened his shoulders as
though with relief at some sign of action; yet he did not relax his
insistent gravity sufficiently to join the smile that followed this
sally.
"Let us be sure, gentlemen, of one thing at a time," he resumed.
"As we come to this final measure suggested by our friend from
Kentucky, I am at a loss how further to proceed. What we do can
not be made public. We can not sign a joint note asking this
distinguished gentleman to act as our intermediary."
"At the time of the ratification of the Constitution by the
convention of 1787," began the dark man who had earlier spoken,
"there arose a difficulty as to the unanimity of those signing. At
the suggestion of Doctor Franklin and Mr. Gouverneur Morris, there
was a clause added which stated that the Constitution was signed
'_as by the states actually present_,' this leaving the individual
signers not personally responsible! I suggest therefore, sir, that
we should evade the personal responsibility of this did you put it
to the vote of the _states_ represented here.
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