Pros And Cons Of The Constitutional Convention

Miracle at Philadelphia
In Philadelphia in1787 during one of the hottest summers, The Constitutional Convention gathered to discuss the fate of the union. Fifty-five delegates met in the Pennsylvania State House. These delegates were representatives from 12 of the 13 new states. Everyone sent representatives, except for the state of Rhode Island. Rhode Island was afraid of the government being too powerful and taking over. They decided to not send representatives so that they would not lose their independence. Only 9 of the 13 states were needed to ratify the Constitution so it was not significant that Rhode Island did not send anyone. In 1790, Rhode Island ultimately becomes the 13th state to ratify the Constitution after Washington had

become president. Others who were not in attendance at the convention were Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Samuel Adams, John Hancock and Patrick Henry. At the time, Jefferson travelled to Paris and was serving as minister to France. He was not in agreement of the convention and felt that it was a meeting of the “demigods.” At the same time, John Adams was serving as minister to Great Britain. One of the oldest delegates was Franklin who was in his eighty’s. Most of the other delegates were in their early thirty’s. George Washington, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and Benjamin Franklin were some of the more familiar delegates present at the convention. More than half of the delegates were educated judges or lawyers. However, only about a quarter of them had ever practiced law as their profession. Other delegate’s professions or businesses included: merchants, manufacturers, shippers, land speculators, bankers, two or three physicians, a minister, and several small farmers. During this time period some of the representatives owned slaves and the slaves ran their business and/or plantations. The majority of the fifty-five delegates had some integral role in the Revolution. About twenty-nine of them served in the Continental forces. The members of the Confederation and some of the Continental Congress during the Revolution were comprised of about seventy-fiver percent of the delegates at the Convention. The variety of the men that made up the delegates came from different backgrounds and professions; however their end goal was the same. With the fate of the union in their hands, they gathered to work together and compromise to reach their goals.
Madison was the principle author of the Constitution and gained the title “The Father of the Constitution” by many. He earned this title because of the strong leadership and dedication he showed during the planning stages and writing of the Constitution. The construction of the Constitution was a foreshadowing of how great America would become. Madison presented an outline of a new government at the Federal Convention in May of 1787. Eventually, this became known as the Virginia Plan and it was a framework for counterproposals and compromises. Madison played a fundamental role in the document’s drafting and ratification and the title “The Father of the Constitution” was well earned. Madison co-authored a series of essays known as the Federalist Papers with Alexander Hamilton and John Jay. The essays influenced debates on ratification and Madison was able to get two-thirds approval for ratification from the thirteen states. This approval allowed for the Constitution to become the law. Madison was in accordance with the Constitution and knew it could be even better. By introducing the Bill of Rights, which was the first amendments to the Constitution, Madison made the Constitution even stronger. These amendments guaranteed individual rights as citizens, such as the freedom of speech, religion and the press. Madison was very humble when it came to acknowledging his contributions to the Constitution and stated, “You give me a credit to which I have no claim in calling me ‘The writer of the Constitution of the U.S.’ This was not, like the fabled Goddess of Wisdom, the offspring of a single brain. It ought to be regarded as the work of many heads and many hands” (onstitutionday.com 2013). Even though Madison showed modesty and gave credit to others for their contributions, he still is referred to as “The Father of the Constitution.”
In addition to Washington, Franklin and Madison, John Rutledge was one of the most productive convention members. At the Constitutional Convention, he was chosen to be the representative for South Carolina. He was chosen as the Chair of the Committee of Detail and had the responsibility of writing the first draft of the Constitution. He was very committed, was on five committees and attended all sessions of the convention. In his speeches he spoke of the people of the south and their interests. He gave debates on the Virginia Plan which led to him using what was in the original plan to produce the first draft of the Constitution. The final rendering of the United States Constitution included a great deal of what was in the initial draft. John Rutledge’s signature can also be seen on the official document of the Constitution. A proposal of the Virginia Plan was to create a government that included three branches of government: the legislative, the executive and the judicial branch. These branches would replace the Articles of Confederation. Rutledge stood in support of a stronger government; however he was not in support of slavery. Because the smaller states did not have a lot of power or support, the New Jersey Plan was created. This new plan would speak for and support the interests of the smaller states. John Rutledge had another world changing idea. He proposed that the election of the president should be from the two houses of Congress or what is known as a joint ballot. In the end it was decided that the House of Representative would have the final selection. Rutledge was first and foremost a federalist, yet sometimes he crossed party lines. He was the first Governor of South Carolina and was in attendance at the South Carolina convention to support the ratification of the Constitution.
Along with Washington, Madison, and Franklin, another productive member of the Constitutional Convention was Roger Sherman.

Chosen to represent Connecticut at the Constitutional Convention, Sherman brought a proposition that would be named the Connecticut Compromise. He wanted to merge the Virginia Plan and New Jersey plan thus, combining major components of both plans. Sherman suggested a two-house national legislature. The Connecticut Compromise outlined the governmental structure that exists still today. The House of Representatives would have representation based on population. The Senate would have equal representation for each state. Even though the compromise was rejected the first time around, finally on July 23 it was passed. Ultimately this great compromise saved the entire convention from termination. Sherman was the only person to have his signature on four eminent papers of the United States. They were the Continental Association, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution. Sherman also designed the thee-fifths compromise. It was constructed because of the argument that slaves should be included in taxation, yet not in representation. Sherman, along with James Wilson, created the three-fifths compromise which stated that the government would count slave only as partial people. Meaning each slave would count as “three fifths of all other persons.” The goal was to abolish slavery in all states. By creating the three-fifths

compromise, Sherman and Wilson hoped to encourage more states to support the ratification of the constitution. Sherman was very vocal and spoke at many conventions in support of smaller stated. He is also notably remembered for giving 138 speeches at a variety of conventions.
Bowen characterizes the founding fathers as holding such an elevated place in American history.

It is often difficult to imagine them as everyday people. The United States Constitution was the first written constitution in the world during a time of great division among the states. Even George Washington used the word miracle in describing the drafting of the U.S. Constitution. In a letter to Lafayette, he said:
“It appears to me, then, little short of a miracle, that the delegates from so many different states (which states you know are also different from each other in their manners, circumstances, and prejudices) should unite in forming a system of national Government, so little liable to well-founded objections.” (Oaks

1992).

Even Washington knew how divided the states were on so many fundamental issues. It was and is a miracle that so many delegates could set aside their prejudices and differences and realize that the country was in an alarmingly weak state. They had won independence from a king and the delegates had the unique opportunity of establishing a constitutional government.
The actual written word of the constitution resembles that of scripture. It speaks of freedom of speech and religion and life, liberty and equality to all men. This parallels God’s free will and grace given to all. God created all people equal and gave them freedom of choice. All human beings are responsible for their own choices and the consequences that come from those choices. The constitution was written on this same premise. This can be seen even in the preamble, “We, the people of the United States … do ordain and establish this Constitution.” The constitution was written by the people and for the people. Everyone has the free will to choose to follow the law (constitution). Life, liberty and justice for all is a blessing bestowed upon man from the constitution and instituted by God.
Did Washington or the Founding Fathers ever imagine that the U.S. Constitution would become a model for other nations after two centuries – that is a miracle. It has been in place for more than two hundred years and has given America and its people great freedom and prosperity.

Works Cited
Bowen, Catherine Drinker. Miracle at Philadelphia: The Story of the Constitutional Convention, May to September, 1787. Boston: Little, Brown, 1986. Print.
"Constitutional Convention." James Madison's Montepelier. Montepelier Foundation, 2007-2014. Web. 20 Aug. 2014.
Oaks. "The Divinely Inspired Constitution - Ensign Feb. 1992 - Ensign." The