The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1913-07-26
on the second Monday In May, 1877,

on the second Monday In May, 1857,
and delegates were appointed.
Even congress took the lesson to
heart, and gave It's sanction to the
conference.
The legislature of Virginia put
Washington's name at the head Of it's
own list of delegates, and after his
name the names Of Patrick Henry,
Edmund Randolph, John Blair, James
Madison, George Mason, and George
Wythe-the leading names of the
state, no man could doubt.
But Washington hesitated. He had
already declined to meet the Society
of the Cincinnati in Philadelphia about
the same time, he said, and thought it
would be disrespectful to that body. to
whom he owed much, TO be there on
any other occasion"
He even limited q doubt whether the
convention was constitutional, it's
avowed purposes being what they
were until congress tardily sanction.
ed it.
.. Why Washington Hesitated.
His real reasons his intimate friends
must have OWNED from the first. They
knew him better in such matters than
he knew himself. He not only loved
his retirement; he deemed himself q
soldier and man OF action, and no
statesman.
The floor of assemblies had never
seemed to him his principal sphere OF
duty. ....:
He had thought Of staying away
from the house Of burgesses on priv.
ate business 20 years ago, when he
knew that the stamp act was to be de-
bated. But it was not for the floor OF
the approaching convention that his
friends wanted him; they told him
from the first he must preside.
He was known to be in favor Of Civ.
Ing the Confederation powers that
would make it real government, and
he thought that enough; but they
wanted the whole country to see him
pledged to the actual work, and, when
they had persuaded him to attend,
knew that they had at any rate won
the confidence Of the people In their
patriotic purpose.
His mere presence would give them
power.
Tho vIrgInfans First to Arrive.
Washington and the other Virginians
were prompt to be in Philadelphia on
the day appointed, but only the Penn.
sylvania delegates were there to meet
them.
They had to wait an anxious week
before so many as seven states were
represented. Meanwhile, those who
gathered from day to day were nerv.
GUS and apprehensiva, and there was
talk of compromise and halfway meas.
ures, should the convention prove
weak or threaten to miscarry.
Washington's Brave Words.
They remembered for many Ions
year afterwards how nobly Washing.
ton, standing self-collected in the
midst of them," had uttered brave
counsels Of wisdom in their rebuke.
1T is too probable" he said, that no
plan we propose will be adopted. Per
haps: another dreadful conflict is to be
sustained. If, to please the people, We
offer what we ourselves disapprove,
how can we afterwards defend: our
work? Let us raise a standard to
which the wise and honest can repair,
The event is in the hand of God"
1t was an utterance, they knew, not
OF craftsmanship merely, but Of char
acter; and it was that character, If
anything could. that would win the
people to their support.
President OF the Convention.
When at last seven states were rep.
resented-a quorum of the thirteen
an organization was effected, and
Washington was unanimously chosen
president Of the convention.
He spoke. when led to the chair, "of
the novelty of the scene Of business
IN which he was to act, 1amented his
want of better qualifications, and
claimed the indulgence of the house
towards the involuntary errors which
his 1nexperience might oocasion;" bit
no mere parliamentarian could have
given that anxious body such steadi
ness In business of such grave earn
estness in counsel as it got from his
presence AID influence in the chair.
Five more states were in attendance
before deliberation was very far ad-
vanced; but he had the satisfaction to
see his own friends lead upon the
door.
Wash'n9ton's Friends Lead.
It was the plan which Edmund RAN
dolph proposed, for his fellow Virgin
lans, which the convention accepted as
a model to work from; it was James
Madison, that young master of coun-
sci, who guided the deliberations from
day to day, little as he showed his
hand In the work or seemed to put
himself forward in debate -
No speeches came from the presi-
dent: only once or twice did he break
the decorum Of his Office to temper
some difference of ODir1i0n or facilitate