The signs of unanimity became unmistakable on the Second, and two days
later, as every one knows, the adoption of the Declaration took place,
though it was not until the Second of August that all the members,
excepting John Dickinson had signed.
Five years passed before the Articles of Confederation were formally
adopted by the states, by which time it had become clear that they must
totally fail of their purpose, for each state decided for itself whether
to respond to the demands of congress. The poison of nullification thus
infused into the body politic at its birth bore baleful fruit in the
years that followed.
On six separate occasions, there were overt acts on the part of the
States.
The first occurred in 1798, when Virginia and Kentucky passed
nullification resolutions.
The second was the attempt of New England in 1803 to form a northern
confederacy, comprising five New England States, and New York and New
Jersey. The third was Aaron Burr's wild scheme in the Southwest.
The fourth, the resolution of the New England States to withhold
cooperation in the War of 1812.
The fifth, the nullification acts of South Carolina in 1832.
The sixth and last, the effort of eleven states to form the Southern
Confederacy.
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