This is one of my favorite weeks of the year! September 17 is Constitution Day, and on that day in 1787 The Framers signed the document they’d worked on since May of that year. It was the culmination of decades of experience, debate, scholarship and sacrifice. Their goal was to draft a governing document to establish a workable government structure that was the least likely to violate individual rights.
The Articles of Confederation preceded the Constitution. It joined 13 sovereign states into a contractual agreement much like a treaty. Experience showed this government structure was not fully protective of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness laid out in the Declaration of Independence. Trade wars had developed between some states. New York and New Jersey were nearly at war with each other over tariffs and trade disputes. There was no unified, standing Army to protect the United States as a whole. The entire decade between the Revolutionary War and the 1787 Convention in Philadelphia saw the United States in jeopardy of being invaded and conquered.
To resolve the issues of commerce, seven states convened in Annapolis, Md. in the fall of 1786. As the proceedings of the Annapolis Convention were underway it became apparent that the differences among the states were far too extensive for a mere seven states to resolve. Furthermore, the delegates realized the very structure of this federal government was an impediment to resolving these issues. So, in their Annapolis Report of October 1786 the states called a general convention to be held in Philadelphia, Penn. the following May. They called on the states to give their delegates greater authority to draft a constitution “sufficient to the exigencies of the Union.” Between October 1786 and February 1787, seven states did precisely that.
On February 21,1787 the Continental Congress drafted a resolution stating it was reasonable to hold a general convention in Philadelphia that May. This was a concurring resolution that in no way had any bearing on the calling, convening of conduct of the 1787 Convention.
What occurred at the Convention was truly guided by the hand of God. Our Nation was faced with extremely difficult issues. New York attempted to take over the convention but their efforts were rebuffed. As a result, two of their three delegates returned to New York. Only Alexander Hamilton stayed behind. While he participated in the convention, he never cast a vote since the New York delegation did not have a quorum. Hamilton signed the Constitution “A. Hamilton of New York.”
And yet, several items had broad-based support among several states. The most notable was a provision banning the slave trade and indentured servitude. Ratification of the Constitution would require at least nine of the 13 states to sign off. Regarding the issue of slavery, Virginia, South Carolina and Georgia stated they would not ratify the document if anti-slavery provisions were included. The New York delegation had disbanded leaving their support uncertain. Massachusetts was on the fence of ratification with or without a prohibition of slavery. (Massachusetts has always been a free state where black Americans always have had the right to vote.) Rhode Island chose not to send delegates to the 1787 Convention. Under these circumstances, a prohibition of slavery was not included in the final draft of the Constitution. It would be dealt with in the Bill of Rights and ultimately in the Civil War.
The final product of the 1787 Convention remains exceptional. In general, a country’s constitution remains in effect for an average of 17 years. That our Constitution has endured for 237 years is truly remarkable. It’s further evidence of the Divine Providence that guided The Framers in their endeavor. Our Constitution is based upon the premise that ‘just governing authority’ resides with We The People. And even though our Constitution is 237 years old, it established what remains as the newest form of government known to man.
But along with that governing authority comes individual responsibility. This is why Convention of States Action exists. We study the intention of The Framers in drafting this document. Obviously, our focus is on the convention of states process provided by The Framers in Article V. In order to effectively use this tool, we need to understand why the Constitution was written the way it was. Then, we have the best opportunity to restore the original intent and structure of our federal government.
Make it a point this week to share an aspect of the Constitution with someone. Let them know we understand their frustration with government. There is no reason to feel helpless. The Framers gave us the solution. All we need is the knowledge and conviction to use it.
In liberty,
Brett
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