Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1922-03-16
SECOND PRIZE ESSAY
BY Miss Marion Martin.
THE SIGNING OF THE FEDERAL
CONSTITUTION

The following essay was awarded
second prize in the Calendar Contest
offered by Cheraw Drug Co.
Great men have arisen in all ages
of the world and perhaps most in
those of despotism and darkness. So
it was with the great men who emerg-
ed from the war cloud of seventeen
hundred and seventy-siX and drew up
the famous constitution of the Unit
ed States.
The colonies Of America, in the
latter part of the eighteenth century
were wealthy and began to have
thoughts of freedom. Therefore when
England began treating them without
any respect to their rights, they open
ly rebelled.
Some of the men Of England fore
saw what it would mean to lose the
colonies and tried to get England to
treat them justly. But England held
her Tory principles and America held
her Democratic ones.
The first battle, Lexington, was only
a skirmish but it was the beginning Of
war The fighting was severe, and
Washington showed his great genius
in commanding the small poorly clad
arry. AS result, the colonies OBJ
tained their freedom.
The Virginia commissioners, after
some correspondence fixed date for
delegates from all the states to meet
and take into consideration the posi-
ton Of the United States and to fix a
constitution. After two or three meet
ings a constitution was drawn up and
Washington was elected president
On the morn of September the seven
teenth, seventeen hundred and eight
seven, a convention was held to agree
day was fair and an ideal autumn one.
To the men who were signing the con-
stitution, the future looked as bright
as the day itself. Although they saw
the future TO be bright, little did they
think the document they were agree
ing upon would some day be the basis
of the greatest and most democratic
nation in the world.
In speaking of the signing of the
signing of the constitution, a picture
at once comes to our mind. We see
Washington, the leader, pen in hand,
ready to sign the paper. Was not this
critical moment? Some power
greater than we can understand was
guiding the pens of these men. Some
OF the representatives were undecided
about. signing the constitution. They
ara off TO one side talking and argue
ing the meSSfon Everyone signed eX-
c~pt Mr.. Gerry of Massachusetts and
Messrs. Mason and Randolph of Vir-
c.nia. The representatives from noble
South Car" lima were Charles Pinck-
ney and Pierce Butler. These were
eager for the democratic government
as Son'h Carolina has always been
first in wanting democracy.
On the walls are the different Ameri-'
can flag of an early date. Among them
is the snake flag designed by Benja-
min Franklin. 1t shows snake cut
into pieces representing the idea
Unite or Die. There are others also.
the flag at Bunker Hill, the first
American Fag hoisted at Cambridge,
the first and second Naval Flag and
also the one called Sergeant Jasper's
flag.
1t can be truthfully said that the
constitution of the United States is
If not the greatest, one of the greatest
documents the world has yet seen. For
was not America the first country to
organize a republic and to stand for a
democracy?
Long may our land be bright with
freedoms holy light"