The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-03-18
History Records Tributes To States
Constitutional Convention Delegates
FrankIin's Inspiring
SPeech Preserved BY
James MadisQn's Notes

building Of hts Union ana Central
Pacific Railroads.
10 james Madison, Of Virginia,
afterWasd pre6tdeat IS the United
states, We are indebted Ter . de-
tailed accotin or the proceedings
Of the ConstitutioiiaI CONVENTION
day hy dey and hour hy hour.
During rs four Innnths session
from May TIL September, he never
tnsised b day or "a hour attend
atlce Or failed 10 make notes 0s
every debate and speech; but Il
was not published tor many years
afteFwsrd during his pFesidei-
tial edyninistFation. Thomas JET
fSrson regarded Il Is the most re-
maFkanle record Of the kind ever
MADE and John Adams agreed
with him. II Is now published 81
the STATE Department of the Gov
eFnrnent ct washington Is Vol.
3os the Discriminatory History Of
the Constitution Of the United
states Of America. ana may be
seen at the Bronson Library,
Waterbury.
RecOrded Remayks
Describing his method Of tax
Ing the notes Of the Convention,
james Madison says: I'm pursv-
ance Of the task I had assumed !
chose Q seat In front Of the pre-
siding member General wash
ington) With the other members
on my right ana LETT hand. In
this favorable position for hear
ing oil that passed, ! noted IN
terms legihle and In shhreviatiorls
and marks intelligible TO myself
what was said from the chair Of
spoken by the members: and los
ing not q moment unnecessarily
between the adjpurnrnent and re-
assembling Of the Convention !
was enabled the write out my
daily notes during the session or
within q few hnishi1g days after
Its close"
So we are able to read the COM
plete speech Of BENJAMIN Prank
lin, SO often quoted III part, and
his historic Motion TO the Con-
yention that was seconded by
Roger Sherman;
Frenklin's sReerh
(Speech by BENJAMIN Franklin
in Constitutional Convention,
June 24th, 15o1-fr0m the notes
taken at the time BY James
MadlsOn):
INF. President
1.-THE small progress we have
made after { or 5 weeks close at
tendance and continual reason
inSs with each other-our differ
erlt sentiments on almost every
question, several OF the last pro-
dpcing as many noes as ayes, Is
inethinks a melancholy proof OF
the iinperfection Of human under.
standing. We indeed seem to feel
our own want Of political wisdom,
Sipie we have been running about
In search OF 1t. We have gone
back to ancient history for mod
els of government, and examined
the different forms OF those Re-
pvblics which having been
formed with the seeds OF their
own dissolution now no longer ex-
ist. And we have viewed Modern
States all round Europe, but md
none OF their Constitutions suit
able to our circumstances.
''ln this situation Of this AS
sembly, cropping as IT were, N the
dark to And political truth, and
scarce able to distinguish 1t when
presented TO us, how has u hap
pened, Sir, that we have not hith-
ertp once thought Of hurnbly APP
plying to the Father Of Lights to
Illuminate our ynderstandings9
In the beginning OF the Contest
with Great Britain, when we were
sensible Of danger, we had daily
prayer In this room for the divine
protection. Our prayers, Sir, were
heard, and they were graciously
answered. All OF US who were en-
gagged In the struggle must have
ovserbed frequent instances Of q
S,iperintending providence In our
favor. TO that kind providence
we owe this happy opportunity OF
consulting In peace on the means
OF establishing our future national
felicity. And have we now for
gotten that powerful friend? Or
"A me ina nifia that WE M longer