The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1935-09-06

SILL Thomas Mifflin, Gouverneur Morris, Robert
Morris and James Wilson.
SOUTH CAROLINA-Pierce Butler Charles
finckney, Charles G. Pinckney and John Rud-
ledge
vIRGINIA-John Blair, James Madison and
George Washington
OF this number more than half 81 were law
yers. Six are classified as Statesmen" three
were farmers, landowners or planters, three were
merchants, two bankers or "fnanciers," one an
educator two physicians and one a soldier. Most
of them were well educated Nine of them had
studied in the Inner Temple or the Middle Tenn
pie in England, one at Oxford under Blackstone
and two in Scottish universities. Half of the
delegates were graduates of American or Euro
pean colleges, three were professors and one
DIR. William S. johnson, was president of Column
bia college, on leave of absence to act as dele
gate from Connecticut
Moreover it was convention of young men.
The patriarch Benjamin Franklin was then
eighty-one years old, but 20 of the So were
der forty years of age. Jonathan Dayton of New
Jersey was the "baby" of the conventicn-only
twenty-seven years old. Charles Pinckney who
submitted the first draft of the Constitution, was
only two years his elder. Alexander Hamilton
of New York, destined to play leading role in
the convention but more important one in Sc
curing the ratification of the Constitution was
barely thirty, and James Madison who would
become known as the Father of the Constitu-
tion," was thirty-six.
John Marshall, then only thrty-two years old,
was not delegate to the convention. But be-
cause of his part in securing the ratification of
the Constitution and the work he did as chief
justice of the United States later in interpreting
it and strengthening the federal foundations of
the government by means of 1t, he is entitled to
a high place among the Makers of the Constitu-
ton."
The date set for the opening of the convention
was the second Monday in May. The roads of
that time were poor and travel was expensive
and Slow so it was not until two weeks later
that the first meeting was held.
The convention met formally for the first time
en- Friday, May 25, although only few more
than half the delegates had arrived by that time.
Seven states were represented at this meeting,
according to one authority; according to another,
there were nine. Whatever the number, those
present got down to business at once by electing
a presiding officer. Benjamin Franklin, because
of his age and the fact that this was his home
city was the logical choice for this position but
he graciousy waived that honor and suggested
the choice of George Washington, the late COM
mander In the struggle for liberty.
Washington's election was unanimous and he
presided throughout the convention with his
usual dignity. His chair was on a raised plat
form and 1t was rule of the sessions that the
members should stand at their places, upon ad-
journing, until he had preceded them from the
. room Occasionally the great virginian yielded
the chair and took the floor as Virginia dele
gate to express his views on the question at
ISSUE
On Monday. May %, the convention entered
upon the business for which 1t had been called
and from that time until September II these men
struggled daily with their great task in that
stuffy room in the old State house, suffering ter
ribly from the heat and-it must be admitted -
also suffering from WEAKNESS With the long
speeches Of some of the delegates. One Of them
actually spread his speech over period Of two