VaUME 5 NUMBER 38
19 SEPTEMBER I960
WHY SEPTEMBER ITnHS CONSTITUTION DAY
Early in their discussion the delegates to the Philadelphia meeting decided
not to amend the Articles of Confederation, hut to draw up a whole new paper.
All through the hot summer of 1787 they labored. The Convention first met
on May 14 and did not disband until the Constitution was signed on September
17th, now known as CONSTITUTION DAY,
So that their deliberations would be undisturbed, the delegates invoked a
rule of silence which Washington sternly inforced. No one was to talk to tfebo
press or the public about what was going on.
In fact, it was not until 50 years later, when Madison’s notes were publish
ed, that we got a good picture of what actually happened that summer in Indep -
endence Hall in Philadelphia.
There were many conflicts of interest to be settled and many questions about
the best way to achieve the aims agreed upon.
In those clays of primitive transportation and communication the delegate knew
very little of what had been going on outside their own states.
Even Madison, who exchanged letters with people in various parts of the cou
ntry, said "Of the affairs of Georgia I know as little as those of Mamskatska.”
Pierce Butler of South Carolina thought that the 11 manners and modes of think
ing” of the diffrent parts of the country differed "nearly as much as in differ
ent nations of Europe.”
Some of the delegates were distrustful of the convention. Others thought "that
their section of the country had a more democratic spirit than any other.
The small states were afraid of being swallowed up.
There were arguments about how the legislature should be chosen, whether or
not slaves should be counted for purposes of representation, whether both import
and export items should be taxed by Congress, whether the slave trade should be
prohibited, and how the executive should be chosen. Only the combined prestige
and influence of Washington and Franklin were able to keep the convention from
breaking up over some of these issues, September 17th is CONSTITUTION DAY and
another reason for you TO VOTEJJ