The Washington herald., 1908-05-05
MAY HONOR WEBSTER
Supposed Author of Consti-
tuition Recalled in Senate.
NEW EVIDENCE IS PRESENTED
Memorial by Hannis Taylor, Intro
dueed by Senator Carter, Result Of
Researches Which Are Said to Es-
tabIish Claim that Merchants Ideas
Were Used by Convention of 1857.

New evidence tending to establish the
disputed identity of the original author of
the Constitution of the United states, or
the material from which the original
draft of the Constitution was made. was
presented in the Senate yesterday by
Senator Carter, Of Montana. and ordered
printed in the Congressional Record.
The evidence is In the form of a me-
mortal by Hon. Hannis Taylor. the we'll
known jurist, author, and statesman, EN-
bOdying the results of his researches
into the question Of the authorship of
the Constitution. In presenting the me-
mortal, Senator Carter said;
1t relates to a historical document of
great Importance in connection with the
constitutional history of this country II
embraces the researches of Mr.. Taylor
on this subject, and is unquestionably a
contribution Of rare interest and value. "
May Do Tardy Honor.
Mr. Carter asked that it be printed in
the Record and as a document also, and
that the original be referred to the Com
mttee on the judiciary. This was done.
and the committee will pass upon the
question OF erecting in Washington a
suitable memorial to the man whom Mr..
Taylor believes 70 have first outlined the
subject-matter Of the Constitution.
This mans name was Pelatiah Web
ster. and he was a merchant in Phila-
delphia before and during the Revolution.
In a pamphlet which. according to Mr.
Taylor's discovery, was printed four
years before the constitutional convention
met, in 17S7. Webster outlined a plan
for an American Constitution, which Is
In effect the plan now embodied in the
charter or the United States. He dl-
vided the government into the executive.
legislative and judicial branches, and
outlined the province OF each.
Suggested Commerce Department.
Perhaps the strangest thing about the
discovery is that he suggested d De-
partment Of Commerce, that branch Of
human activity naturally appealing TO
him strongly. since he was engaged in It.
His suggestion in this instance was not
adopted by the convention of 1857. and
it remained for the department the need
of which he foresaw to be established
more than 1Oo years after he wrote his
pamphlet
Mr.. Taylor contends that the fact that
three men, Hamilton, Madison. and
Pinkney-the latter the famous Mary.
lander. William Pinkney-each presented
TO the convention a draft OF a cOnsti-
tuition, all three bearing striking resem-
blances 10 each other. is one proof that
the three had drawn their ideas from
Pelatiah Webster's pamphlet. with such
variations as their own opinions sug-
gested 10 them.
Webster made known his plan in 1888.
so that there were four years before the
constitutional convention in which the
members or that immortal body might
have been expected TO have become IA
miliar with a paper bearing so closely
upon what ali the thinking men of the
period were revolving in their minds
Believes Franklin Originator.
Senator Knox, who is a member of the
Committee has a theory that
Benjamin Franklin was the originator Of
the Constitution. Mr.. Taylor's memorial
takes this question UP. and deduces from
his researches arguments which would
seem to dispose of the Franklin idea al
most conclusively.
Senator Gallinger, who had examined
the memorial, asked when Mr.. Carter
presented it that he amend his request
for its reprinting by having a thousand
extra copies printed
I have just been glancing at it." said
Mr.. Gallinger. "and it is a very i'm
portant document"
Mr.. Carter made the additional request,
and the thousand extra copies were or
dered.