Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-03

For the dramatic qualities of its per-
sonnet the originality of its procedure
and the magnitude of its results, the
Constitutional Convention OF 1877 is
unique among the decisive gatherings OF
| history.
It began under a cloud-as, indeed.
everything In that chaotic period was
under a cloud of one kind or another.
But the particular cloud over the con-
yention was the lack of SUFFICIENT inter-
est to even draw the delegates to the
meeting place in Philadelphia. sew.
enty-three delegates had been selected
by the 10 States, but on May a. tne
date set for the opening meeting, only
10 delegates were present. They waited
until May IS, by which time 20 men,
delegated by only seven Of the States,
came together in Carpenters Hall,
birthplace of the Declaration OF 1noe-
pendence.
It seemed that Fate, kind to the
Americans in revolt, had turned cold
toward them in peace. The Articles OF
Confederation, under which the States
had tried to function after declaring
their independence, had proved utterly
inadequate. Several of the States found
actual rebellion within their borders.
Credit was ruined. Almost all OF the
States were raising tariff barriers
against one another and were denying
reciprocal rights to citizens OF other
States who happened to visit or have
dealings within their Jurisdictions. The
weak Congress of the Confederation,
which had the authority to do every
thing and the power to do nothing,
sent out a despairing call to the states
to revise" the Articles so as to save the
land from anarchy.
The Legislatures designated their rep
resentatives, but showed their hostility IN
many instances by giving them instruc-
tions which, if adhered to, would doom
the gathering to failure from its very
outset. Several of the most notable
| delegates, Patrick Henry among them,
showed their distrust of the whole mat
ter by declining to even serve. others
of almost equal renown, among them
Charles Carroll Of Carrollton, accepted
the appointment. but did not take tne
trouble to attend. The Adamses, all
Important in New England during the
opening stages OF the Revolution, and
destined to the highest honors under
the government which grew out OF the
convention, were conspicuously absent
| from the convention during this time,
described by Fiske as the critical
| period in American history" John
|. Adams was representing the Govern
was so suspicious of a strong central
| government that he did not try to Sc
| cure a place as a convention delegate
and was only with difhculty induced to
throwa.his deciding support to 1t when
| the question of the ratification OF the
Constitution came up in Massachu-
sets.
jefferson, one of the most popular
men in the Nation, was in France as
Ambassador, and was far from sanguine
as to the results OF the new effort to-
| ward creating a central government.
though he felt that something had to
be done.
Looking back from the vantage ground
of the present and realizing the magni-
| tude of its accomplishment, we are ac-
customed to speak of the Constitutional
Convention as the most brilliant gath
ering in American history, and one OF
the most notable Of all times. But II
| Is only in the light of later develop
ments and their later deeds that these
delegates loom so large. They were, for
immediate period than the men OF the
Declaration.
What distinguishes them today and
makes them seem like giants is not so
| much what they had already done up
to the time of their gathering, but what
they were to do, first In forming a new
| government, and secondly, in making 1t
function with unparalleled success
There were, of course, names already
magical in their power-Washingt
Franklin and Robert Morris, for In
stance-but, for the most part renown
awaited the delegates-and high re-
nown 1t was to be and highly de-
l served
There was the usual scattering of
eyes. h'1t tvo neral groups stood cut
the old men. W.se enough 70 make