Did you know that Benjamin Franklin was 81 years old when he addressed the Constitutional Convention on September 17, 1787? Quite impressive considering the average life expectancy for a man in 1787 was 35, that would be about 125 years old today.
Franklin began his address to the convention by admitting that he did not entirely approve of the constitution before them, but that over the years his experiences had taught him that with new information and considerations, opinions he once thought right, turned out to be otherwise.
“It is therefore that the older I grow, the more apt I am to doubt my own judgment, and to pay more respect to the judgment of others.”
He added that with such an assembly of men for the purpose of their combined knowledge, you inevitably will also have their individual opinions, many held with great conviction and perceived as infallible.
“From such an assembly can a perfect production be expected? It, therefore, astonishes me, sir, to find this system approaching so near to perfection as it does.”
With that, Benjamin Franklin agreed to the constitution before them.
“Thus I consent, Sir, to this Constitution because I expect no better, and because I am not sure, that it is not the best.”
Even in 1787, social media, or public opinion, was a very influential tool and Franklin saw the power of it and felt strongly that once the constitution was adopted, it was imperative that they each use their influence to stand behind it and “act heartily and unanimously” to support it with their constituents. To those who still had reservations he declared,
“The opinions I have had of its errors, I sacrifice to the public good. I have never whispered a syllable of them abroad. Within these walls, they were born, and here they shall die.”
Benjamin Franklin ended his address with an appeal to his fellow delegates,
“On the whole, sir, I cannot help expressing a wish that every member of the convention who may still have objections to it would with me on this occasion doubt a little of his own infallibility, and, to make manifest our unanimity, put his name to this instrument.”
Soon after his address, the Constitution of the United States of America was approved and signed.
Our United States Constitution has served us well for two hundred and thirty-four years, and it is the oldest charter of self governess in the world. With his eighty-one years of wisdom, I believe Mr. Franklin was right, it truly is, the best.
For more information about the constitutional convention, and to read Benjamin Franklin’s full speech, click here; http://www.benjamin-franklin-history.org/constitutional-convention/
