Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-03-07
Constitution of the United States
Series of Articles Designed for Student Use in the
Nationwide Oratorcal Contest

markedly able. far-sighted. and in.
tensely patriotic.
1t was agreed that it would be q
most graceful tribute to Washington
If Franklin, the only other possible
candidate, should rise and nominate
the great leader OF the revolution. Tn.
fortunately a heavy rain kept Frank
lin from attending the convention. so
Robert Morris, also Of Pennsylvania
speaking for Franklin. placed Wash
ington's name before the convention.
In that body Of delegates where opin-
ions differed so radically, the vote in
favor OF Washington was unanimous,
a fact that alone indicates much con-
corning Washington influence over
| the representatives from all the
! States
| With his usual modesty Washington
| thanked the members for their express
| ion of confidence in him; said that he
wished that he had greater ability to
carry on the work, and asked consid-
GRAFTON for the blunders into which he
feared he might fall. Thus. at the
very beginning of the work. Washing
ton won the interest Of all who were
present.
Long before the convention Wash
ington had made his views we'll
hilOWI re Iluu Sdlu. MY WISH IL
that the convention may adopt no tenn.
porizing expedients, but probe the de-
fects Of the Constitution to the bottom
nd provide a radical cure. whether
greed to or not. A conduct OF this
kind will stamp wisdom and dignity
On their proceedings, and hold up a
light which. sooner or later, will have
its influence"
In 1880. in writing to James Duane,
he had said: There are two things,
as l have often declared, which, in
my opinion, are indispensably neCes.
sary to the well-being and good gov
eminent of our public affairs. These
are greater powers to Congress and
| more responsibility and permanency
in the executive bodies"
Those two points, II is to be noticed,
are exactly the points that the con-
vention carried into effect
1t is at first sight somewhat strange
that this man, who welded such per-
sOnal influence, and who held such
strong views. should have spoken so
little in the convention. He took part
only once in debate. and then spoke
in favor of reducing the basis of repre-.
sentation from forty thousand to
thirty thousand. his object in this
being to bring the people closer into
IOuCH with lnelr Government, ana
thus to answer the objections of those
who might say that the tyranny of
the few had taken the place of the
tyranny of the King.
How strongly Washington believed
in the work Of the convention, and
how markedly he Influenced opinion,
Is shown well by his words in a letter
written at time when certain dis
satisfied people were moving actively
for the calling of new convention
and when those who were perhaps un-
duly satisfied with the Constitution
were opposing the possibility of
amendments. He wrote
IF another Federal convention Is
attempted, it's members will be more
discordant and will agree upon no
general plan. The Constitution or dis.
union are before us to choose from.
If the Constitution is our choice, a
constitutional door Is open for amend.
ments, and they may be adopted in a
peaceable manner, without tumult or
disorder"
1t was by such letters as this, by
his conversation, by his conferences
with leaders, and by his speeches on
many other occasions, rather than by
any words of his in the convention
itself, that Washington impressed
himself on the convention.
He had expressed himself In no weak
way, but with remarkable force.
Writing to James Warren, he had
said: ITO me it is one Of the most
extraordinary things in nature that
we should confederate as a nation and