The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-09-14
By HARRY ATWOOD
President, Constitution Anniversary
sSnciatiOu

NSSOCIltiOn
When the convention met at Phila-
de!nh!a ~ the late spring Of 1881,
there was assembled a group Of not
ABLY superior men from the stand
point Of mental acumen, political an
t.crstanding and moral courage.
Their lives had been devoted largely
10 study and thought concerning gov
eminent and 10 the rendering Of SER
vice to the government. They were
politically minded in The sense that
Edison and Marconi are electrically
minded. that Socrates and Emerson
were ph sophically minded that
Mozart and Mendclssohn were mus
irallv minded, that Newton and
kcpler were scientifically minded.
ritty-iive delegates were in attend
ance al the convention, and thirty
nine Of them signed the Constitu-
tion. OF the other sixteen, number
would have signed had they not been
called home before The close Of the
convention hy illness, pressing family
matters or urgent business.
From All Walks
Among the delegates were lawyers,
physicians, merchants, financiers.
educators, farmers, soldiers and
STATESMEN.
More important than their special
calling or profession. however, is the
fact that the delegates were men Of
great natural ability and strength
Of character. devoted whole heartedly
to the public welfare.
IL IS interesting TO note that TWEEN
ty-f five of the delegates were col
lege graduates in those days when a
college education was difficult to
acquire.
The calling most numerously rep
resented was the legal profession,
which had thirty one members, in
Guiding several who were also Judges
More than half of them had rem
dered distinguished military service
during the Revolutionary War, and
number had served an apprentice
ship in constitution m ing Tor their
various states.
Franklin Then 81
Benjamin Franklin Of Pennsylvania.
at II years of age, was the oldest
delegate. He brought to the delibera-
tions Of the convention the ripe ex-
perGncc resulting from long life
al distinguished service to his coun-
s= 10Th -. h~~,~ "~l al"
was the great harmonizing influence
OF IN
Jonathan Dayton Of New Jersey,
~ ~ years Of age was the youngest
delegate. He later served in Con
~"naker Of the house and as
United States senator. Dayton, Ohio,
..-.hlvu IN MS memory.
George Washington was unani-
mously chosen as presiding officer.
he was the great central figure Of
that epoch.
Hamilton Close Adviser
Alexander Hamilton was Wash
ington's closest adviser. At that
time. only 30 years Of age, he was an
outstanding political genius and
rendered great service as our first
secretary Of the treasury.
James Madison Of Virginia was
later president Of the United States
for two terms. He. kept Il record
OF the proceedings which have come to
be known as the Madison Papers.
Oliver Ellsworth of Connecticut
was afterwards United States SEN
stor and author Of the first judiciary
act and later chief justice Of the
United States supreme court by APP
pointment ut Wash ington.
Abraham Baldwin Of Georgia was
afterwards United States senator and
founder and first president Of the
University Of Georgia. Baldwin
county in Georgia was named in his
memory.
Morris Prophecy
Gouverneur Morris of Pennsylvania
IS said to have given the finishing
style to the Constitution and during
the convention to have given utter
ance to the prophecy:
"The whole human race will be
affected By the proceedings of this
convention
These are only a few of the many
remarkable men who served in the
convention. II IS striking fact
that many Of the fifty five delegates
became either presidents Of the
United States, foreign ministers, ius-
tees Of the supreme court, college
presidents, United States senators,
members of the cabinet, or governors
OF states.
Many people seem to have the inn
preston that John Hancock, John
Adams. Thomas jefferson and Pat
rick Henry were delegates 10 the
Constitution convention. Adams
was in England, and Jcffer-
son was in France while the
convention was in sess sion.
Henry was appointed delegate but
refused to serve, and Hancock was
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