Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1891-07-02

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EaS>7 AN IAt1M show white haired men
NJ = . a KSM who bear every appear
NTNNIN1E GlD1sw ancc OF being "Well up
MBNU0H NI E5HSgn in years, " and the child
MHDNW EaN in>tinctvcly thinks OF
)M VIII A' them as old. Almost
TN&AlIEE \ EMM Supcrhuman w S q o III
WAkgkxsns@ was required to dis
charge their almost Impossible task, ana
it consequently seemed as though they
must have possessed the rnquls site WISDOM
and experience Of the world. If the
question were asked which Of the two
bodies, the convention OF 1877 or the
United States Senate OF 1883, showed the
highest average Of age, doubtless nine
persons out Of every ten would answer
that the trainers OF the Consttut on were
much the older.
Forty-one deputies from the various
States subscribed their names to the
Constitution on the 18th Of September
1887 The birthdays Of all but tour are
known. OF these thirty-sevcn there
were but five who were as old as 60, ana,
in truth, one OF these five did not com
pletc his sixtieth year until the month
after the convention dissolved. The
Nestor Of the body was Benjamin Frank
lin, who was more than 81 when 1t met
Roger Sherman came next in seniority,
w
In their siXty-fourth year. and the dep
uty who was just turning 60. But only
one sixth Of the whole number were en-
titled to be called old men.
Turn now to the other extreme. jon
athan Dayton, Of New Jersey, lacked
several months OF being q when the
convention met: William jackson, OF
Pennsylvania. was but %; Charles
Pinckney, OF South Carolina, only 30;
Alexander Hamilton, of New York, was
but few months past 30; Rufus KING,
of Massachusetts,, 80; G0uVerneur Nor
riS, of New York, 35; and James Madl-
son, Of Virginia, 3G Twelve OF the
thirty-scvcn were under 40, and twenty
less than As years old. full third were
thus within the class which, in speaking
of age nowadays, we call young men.
The average ago of the whole number
fell just inside IS years.
1t would be Il waste of space to argue
that the young men of the convention
did their full share of the work. 1t is
enough to have cited the great names
just mentioned and to add that the com
mittoe to which the instrument was re-
fcrrcd for final revision consisted of
johnson, aged 60; Hamilton, 30; GouV
erncur Morris, 80; Madison, 3G; and
King, 80. Bancroft calls Madison 1.-The
chief author of the Constitution" Ham
iton'S work in the FcdGruiiSt is conceded
to have been the most potent agency in
commencing the instrument to the coun-
try and securing its adoption. Marshall
then only 80, furnished the powerful as
SiStance without which Madison could
not have secured the narrow majority
by which their State was persuaded to
accept it.
The Constitutional Convention was
not unique as u field for youthful
achievement. Jefferson was only 33
years old when he wrote the "Declara-
tion of Independence. Hamilton was
made Secretary Of the Treasury by
Washington, and began his career as Il
iinancicr at the age of 30. At the same
time King, who had become n carpet
Dagger" to New York--since he repre-
scnted Massachusetts in the Consttu
tional CorVcntion-was elected United
States Senator at 81. Thirty had been
fixed as the minimum age for Senators,
and half of those first elected were be-
tween 30 and 35. A few years later
Henry Clay came to the Senate and was
admitted without thought that he was
not cligblc--thc fact being that he did
not reach the age of so until more than
three months later.
No limit Of age for the jude airy was
fixed in the Constitution, but if there be
any place in the Government where ma
turity is demanded, it is on the bench of
the Supreme Court. Washington APP
pointed as one of the early justices
James lredcll who was but 80 years old;
John Adams gave Il place to Bushrod
Washington at 81, and jefferson named
William Johnson ut only 81. This was
simply the adoption by the Federal Gov
ernment Of the same principle which the
States had applied to the choice of
Judges. John JAY, who was made first
Chief Justice Of the United States at 49,
had been appointed Chief Justice Of New
York when but 81 Iredell had been
Judge of the Superior Court of North
Carolina when only 81.
The truth is that what we have come
to consider the especial era of old men
was really the most remarkable period
in our history for young men. They en-
loved n chance a century ago such as
Young men have never had since the war
broke down temporarily, some of the
barriers against youth in public life, but
the controlling forces were welded by
men whose average age was number of
years greater than that of their grand
fathers, who held sway during the revo-
lutiunary period.
"Slow-going, we are wont to call the
ways of the eighteenth century; "a fast
age" is the common description of our
own period. Both expressions are mis-
leading. Our conservative ancestors
rushed their bows through college dur