The Washington herald., 1911-06-04

invoived-published at Philadelphia. AZ
the very Doors Of ths Continental Con.
gress. IN q pamphlet OF forty-seven pages
the great discovery In modern political
science, which was carried to the Federal
convention Of 17s7 IN the three plans pre-
pared by, Madison. Pinckney, and Hamil.
ton. At the moment that publication was
made Madison and Hamilton. then young
men OF thirty-two and twenty-six. re-
spectivsly, were In Philadelphia as menu
bers OF the Congress in which Charles
Pfnckney. then twenty-five. took his seat
soon aftsrward. An Inspection Of the
three prearranged plans drafted 50 care
fully BY Madison. P1nckney, and Hamii-
ton. and printed side by side in the ap-
pendices. will reveal the fact that each
one embodied In its own way every ele-
ment Of the greet invention. which con-
sisted Of a proposal ID Of a federal sov-
ernnent with the Independent power to
tax: ca Of . federal government divided
into three Observation-Disclosures exec
utive. and judicial: 90 Of federal legis-
lature with two chambers: (D Of q su-
preme federal judiciary with the power
to put the stamp Of nullity on laws, State
ana Federal; 0 q federal government
operating not on States as corporations,
but directly on individuals. Down to tho
time Of the drafting Of the Articles Of
those principles entered, had any one
ever heard Of Q federal government
blessed by the presence Of any one OF
them"
In describing the work Of the Federal
convention Of 17s7 the author says:
The, moment the convention was or
eAnized its flrst act Of business was the
formal reception Of the two plans
drafted by Madison and Pinckney, In
which the great discovery was not only
explicitly set forth in every vital part.
but worked by the hand OF Pinckney
into what he called. in presenting 1t, a
system Of government From that mo-
single question before the convention
was this; In what way and to what az
tent shall the great discovery, as en-
bodied In the prearrAneed plans, be 20
modified and amended as to adapt 1t to
then existing conditions as working
system Of government And yet,
after all has been said. the fact remains
that the master builders, who trans
formed under the most dihhcult circum-
stances possible the dream of the great
architect into d working system Of gov
ernment, achieved result Just as re-
markable a. the invention itself. The
philosophers, statesmen. warriors, and
experienced men Of Affairs who composed
the august assemblage that wrought at
Philadelphia in 17S7. may be compared,
As to genius and learning. with the mas
ter spirits Of any age. No assembly so
small-it numbered only fifty-five dele
gates-was ever dominated by so many
men OF the highest order. They need
not strut N borrowed plumes; they need
no fame that belongs to another. The
vnA nf he cf
builders would only belittle their i'm
mortality II he fancied that 1t could be
At all dimned by the rendition Of tardy
justice to the great architect, the man
Of contemplation, who was their natural.
perhaps their necessary. forerunner."
In contrasting the honor that has been
done the master builders with the injus-
tice and neglect bestowed upon the great
architect. the author says: 'As the new
Constitution. which Webster first de-
signed and then defended, grew into q
popular idol, and, as such. passed through
q process Of canonization, the master
builders who composed the convention
came to be regarded rather as demisods
than as men. But, while they were being
thus exalted. and justly. the veil Of Sc
crecy-which for fifty-four years was not
entirely lifted from all that took place
within the secret conclave-concealed from
the eyes Of the world the Titanic figure In
the BACKGROUND that IL now looming up
large on the distant horizon and becom-
ing more and more distinct In the light
OF its increasing glory. - While the
priceless legacy bequeathed by the inn
mortal document Of February 1s, 17s3. has
become the heritage of swelling mhlions,
an humble and neglected grave at Phila-
delphia has been the only recompense
far received by its author. Every drum
mer boy. every foreigner who rendered
conspicuous service to the patriot cause
during the Revolutionary era has been
honored by a monument-only the archi-
tect OF our marvellous Federal Constitu-
ton has been forgotten"