The Nome daily nugget., 1935-12-02

days, to the disgust of his audience, and while others were not so long.winded as he, they made up for 1t by the frequency with which they spoke
 Debate, argument, controversy, bitterness over clashing personalities and vewponts-all of these characterized the convention which finally produced the Constitution of the United States. Nor was the sutry weather conducive to seren- ity and judicial consideration of momentous problems. More than once the convention threat ened to break up and If it had it might have meant the end of the federal union. But more than wise old Ben Franklin acted as peace maker and saved the situation.
 Once he tided the convention over a deadlock by suggesting that the delegates seek guidance
 in prayer. This brought from Hamilton the caustic remark that mo foreign aid needed" remark that something of fling at Frank lins well-known fondness for the French. When another crisis came Franklin suggested tenn porary adjournment and along with the recess came a proyerbial drop in the temperature In which tempers cooled both literally and fgura- | lively.
 | The greater part of the controversy revolved | around three principal plans of government l the Virginia plan, sponsored by Madison which
 safeguarded the rights of the states; the New
 York plan, sponsored by Hamilton, which looked l to strong centralized federal government; and
 the New Jersey plan, which was in the nature
 of compromise between the two. Eventually
 the substance of the Virginia plan, with its 15 | resolutions expanded to 23, won cut. | On July 26 the convention turned over the | job of making final draft of the complete Con- | stitution to "ccmmttee on detail" and ad- | journed until August 26. While doing this the
 committee embodied some suggestions of its own
 in the document. Then the delegates returned
 to their labors, studying and debating every line
 and every sentence with the greatest care, fixing | exact definitions wherever necessary, making
 alterations and compromising differences in
 phraseoogy Finally 1t was turned over to
 committee on style" which polished up the phraseoogy Out of that committee, headed by Gouverneur Morris, came the soncrous 'We the People of the United States, in order to form a
 more perfect union, etc."
 Later the final draft of the Constitution was gone again for there were still delegates opposed to one or another aspect of it. Indeed , there were some who refused to be satisfied with 1t and who refused to sign 1t.
 Gouverneur Morris won over several obstinate members with his suggestion that the delegates , approve the Constitution as states even though
 they personally refused to sign 1t and at last all
 those present except Gerry Mason and Randolph
 signed. Despite the fact that their great task ? was ended the delegates adjourned in gloom and 5 with feeling of doubt to the outcome. Not even the words Of Benjamin Franklin, as the last members were signing, could entirely reas. sure them. Pointing to the sun that was painted 9 on the back of the presidents chair, he said 1: " have often and often in the course of the ses. slons and the vicissltudes of my hopes and fears as to its issue looked at that behind the presi.
 dent without being able to tell whether it was 1, rising or setting. But now at length I have the l happiness to know that 1t was rising and not ! a setting sum-"
 And history justified Franklin's prophecy. For : from that date 14S years ago a new sun in the = constellation of nations has been rising steadily g to it's zenith. Its name is the United States of a America
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