The scene:
Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
When: May 25 – September 17, 1787
What: The Constitutional Convention
When: May 25 – September 17, 1787
What: The Constitutional Convention
The story goes that as Dr. Benjamin Franklin exited
Independence Hall, he was met by a woman who anxiously awaited the news. For just shy of four months, delegates from
all 13 states, except Rhode Island, met daily to take on what can arguably be
considered one of the most daunting tasks in history... drafting the document
that would give direction to the newly independent United States. The Articles of Confederation were already in
place, but they left too much to the imagination, too many loose ends, too much
gray area. The men who gathered in
Philadelphia were knowledgeable. They
knew what, historically, was the typical path of a nation newly born. Their goal was to provide a foundation upon
which freedom would flourish and individual liberty would breathe in unity with
a central federal government.
Even when the convention adjourned, years of work
remained. Rules set forth in the
Articles of Confederation called for nine of the thirteen states to ratify (approve)
the plan of government penned by those gathered in Philadelphia (the last of
the thirteen states ratified the new Constitution in 1790). Three of those present at the Constitutional
Convention, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison published a series
of articles in New York newspapers which are collectively known as “The
Federalist Papers”. The purpose of the
papers was to convince members of the New York delegation to vote in favor of
the new Constitution. Today, the Framers’
originally intended meaning for the Constitution can, to a high degree, be
discerned by a study of these articles.
In Article #48, future president James Madison wrote,
"a mere demarcation on parchment of the constitutional limits of the several departments [the legislative, judicial, and executive branches] is not a sufficient guard against those encroachments which lead to tyrannical concentration of all the powers of government in some hands."
More clearly stated in today’s language, the document in and of itself cannot
prevent those within the realm of power, i.e. sitting in the Oval Office, on
the Supreme Court bench, or in either house of Congress, from attempting to
gain more power than is granted to their office by the Constitution. Actions contrary to those defined in the
Constitution lead to the dictionary definition of tyranny which brings us to
the point that compels me to devote time in the pursuit of this blog.
Legacy: 1776 is a blog which seeks to remind us
of the heritage we as Americans should celebrate. I have always been proud of my country. I will always be proud of the country our
Founders intended to leave for us. They
were farsighted men… men with passion and perseverance. Many of them fought in the Revolution. Their hearts led them to stand against the
British in order to have the right to pass the legacy of 1776 down through history. The United States Constitution is a part of
that legacy, and their work stands as the longest lasting democratic republic
in the history of the world. I can
almost hear the voices of those fifty-five men who entered Independence Hall on
May 25, 1787, but I am haunted by Dr. Franklin’s response to the
anxious woman who was standing outside on September 17th.
The woman’s question:
“Well Doctor, what have we got—a Republic or a Monarchy?”
Dr. Franklin’s response: “A Republic, if you can keep it.”
Dr. Franklin’s response: “A Republic, if you can keep it.”
Both Dr. Franklin’s statement and James Madison’s words in
Article #48 of the “The Federalist Papers” are a call to our generation. They are a call to the voting booth. The Constitution defines the freedoms of
individual citizens and the freedoms and limited powers of those elected to
serve the citizens. Individual citizens
determine whether tyranny is allowed to stand among those they have elected. Human will is what gives validity to the
separation of powers. I believe those
powers have been breached at the executive level. The preservation of the
Republic rests on our shoulders. Today,
we still have that Republic. What will we do with
our tomorrows to make sure we keep it?