drawing up their constitutions. He had even submitted plans for them. He was undoubtedly the man best fitted for the work. In a letter he says: “There never was an example of such precautions as are taken by these wise and jealous people in the formation of their government. None was ever made so perfectly upon the principle of the people’s rights and equality. It is Locke, Sidney, and Rousseau and DeMably reduced to practice, in the first instance. I wish every step of their progress printed and preserved.”[1] In a letter to Mr. Jennings dated June 7, 1780, he says: “I was chosen by my native town into the Convention two or three days after my arrival. I was by the Convention put upon the committee; by the committee upon the sub-committee; so that I had the honor to be principal engineer. The committee made some alterations, as, I am informed, the Convention have made a few others in the report; but the frame and essence and substance is preserved.”[2]
The task of drafting the bill of rights was left by the general committee to Mr. Adams alone. This was reported by him to the Convention with the exception of the third article which he seems to have thought could be better drawn up by some of the clergy.
On October 28th, the Convention reassembled, and on November 11th it adjourned to meet in Boston on the 5th of January, 1780.
Some changes were made by the Convention in the draft submitted to them. For instance, Mr. Adams’s draft provided for an absolute veto by the Governor without any provision for the Legislature to override it. This was drastic, especially as in some of the States the Governor was given no veto at all. Mr. Adams provided that no man should be eligible as Governor more than five years in any
