The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1935-09-06
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days, to the disgust of his audience, and while
others were not so long-winded as he, they made
up for it by the frequency with which they spoke.
Debate, argument, controversy, bitterness
clashing personalities and viewpoints of
these characterized the convention which finally
produced the Constitution of the United States.
Nor was the sultry 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 once 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 "no foreign aid needed"
a remark that was something Of fling at Frank
Inns well-known fondness for the French. When
another crisis came Franklin suggested tenn
porary adjournment and along with the recess
came a proverbal 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
the Virginia plan, sponsored by Madison which
safeguarded the rights of the states; the New
York plan, sponsored by Hamilton, which looked
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 Is
resolutions expanded to %, won cut
On July &c the convention turned over the
Job of making final draft of the complete Con-
stitution to COMMITTEE on detail" and ad-
journed until August &C. 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
phraseology. Finally it was turned over to a
committee on style" which polished up the
phraseology. Out of that committee, headed by
Gouverneur Norris 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 over again for there were still delegates
opposed to one another aspect of it. Indeed
there were some who refused to be satisfied with
it and who refused to sign it.
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
with feeling of doubt as 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
on the back of the presidents chair. he said:
Il have often and often in the course of the ses-
slons and the vicissitudes of my hopes and fears
as to its issue looked at that behind the presi-
dent without being able to tell whether 1t was
rising or setting. But now at length have the
happiness to know that it was a rising and not
q setting sum-"
And history justified Franklin's prophecy For
from that date 14S years ago new sun in the
constellation of nations has been rising steadily
to Its zenith. Its name Is the United States Of
America.
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