able for talents, for knowledge, for the disinterestedness and patriotism of those who compose it. General Washington, Dr. Franklin, and a great number of other distinguished personages, though less known in Europe, have been called thither."

It was certainly most fortunate for the country, for the prestige of the Convention, and for the solidity of its work, that Virginia set the example of intrusting her commission to her greatest names. Where Washington led the way, followed by Madison, Governor Randolph, George Mason, and Chancellor Wythe, no other State would be willing to refuse a contribution of its most reputable, noblest characters. Pennsylvania responded with Franklin's vast experience and wisdom gathered on two continents, with Robert Morris and Gouverneur Morris, and was further strengthened by the great ability of Wilson. South Carolina sent John Rutledge, with the two Pinckneys. New Jersey offered her chancellor, Livingston, with Chief Justice Brearley, William Paterson, and Dayton. New York reluctantly commissioned her chief unionist, Alexander Hamilton, a born statesman, who combined indomitable force of character with a genius for the organization of States. Delaware gave her patriotic Read and her venerable Dickinson as aids in the great work. Connecticut, so rich in contributions of

soldiers to the Revolutionary struggle, ranked herself in the forefront of the Convention when Sherman and Ellsworth and Johnson appeared there. The voice of Massachusetts found eloquent expression in Rufus King, and her opinions gathered strength from the high reputation of Governor Gerry and the wisdom of Gorham. If ever a government could be formed fresh from the brain of man, instinct with a vigorous life, and admirable in form as that fabled goddess who sprang full-armed from the brow of Jove, it might surely be expected from the midst of this assembly of the wisest and purest and most patriotic characters to which the old European or the young American continent had ever given birth. If the effort should fail now and here, the boldest of our national patriots were prepared to await in silence and unhappy resignation the alternative fates of anarchy or despotism.

The completed roll of delegates who were actually present in the Convention at some time during its deliberations shows the following

names:

From New Hampshire (2)- John Langdon, Nicholas Gilman.

From Massachusetts (4) - Elbridge Gerry, Nathaniel Gorham, Rufus King, Caleb Strong. From Connecticut (3)- William Sam

uel Johnson, Roger Sherman, Oliver Ellsworth.

From New York (3) - Robert Yates, Alexander Hamilton, John Lansing.

From New Jersey (5)- William Livingston, David Brearley, William Churchill Houston, William Paterson, Jonathan Dayton.

From Pennsylvania (8) — Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Mifflin, Robert Morris, George Clymer, Thomas Fitzsimons, Jared Ingersoll, James Wilson, Gouverneur Morris.

From Delaware (5)- George Read, Gunning Bedford, Jr., John Dickinson, Richard Bassett, Jacob Broom.

From Maryland (5) - James McHenry, Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer, Daniel Carroll, John Francis Mercer, Luther Martin.

From Virginia (7) - George Washington, Edmund Randolph, John Blair, James Madison, Jr., George Mason, George Wythe, James McClurg.

From North Carolina (5) Alexander Martin, William Richardson Davie, William Blount, Richard Dobbs Spaight, Hugh

Williamson.

From South Carolina (4)— John Rutledge, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, Charles Pinckney, Pierce Butler.

From Georgia (4) - William Few, Abraham Baldwin, William Pierce, William Houstoun.

Of these, eight members had signed the Declaration of Independence. The whole number of appointments made was sixty-five, of whom only fifty-five attended the Convention; and of them only thirty-nine affixed their names to the Constitution at the end of their deliberations, three expressly refusing, and others absent.

Hamilton was born in Nevis, one of the Leeward Islands; Wilson in Scotland; Robert Morris and Davie in England. Paterson, Fitzsimons, McHenry, and Butler were of Irish birth. The other delegates were native Americans. Some of them had been educated in England, but most of them in the country of their birth, which they had rescued from foreign domination, to which they had given the principles of liberty, and which they now desired to endow with the rights of a republic and with the organization of a united, free, and stable government.

The Convention at the outset provided for secret sessions. The conflict of opinion throughout the country was so great that they feared to exasperate existing divisions, and to provoke hostilities while their plan was in construction, if each day's immature proceedings and discussions were given to the public. They also believed that a more sincere and frank expression of personal opinions could be ob

tained from the delegates, and compromises of jarring judgments could be better secured, if they were exempt from the exterior influence of bitter prejudices. They decided, therefore, that no communication of their resolutions should be made until the whole completed work could be laid before the country, and that no individual votes should be recorded, this record being made by States.

The dilatory arrival of the majority of the delegations gave opportunity for private and personal comparison of views between the few delegates who were earliest in Philadelphia. The members from Virginia met in frequent consultation, and brought themselves into harmonious relations upon a rough draft of constitutional principles which Madison had prepared. This document, modified by their consultations, was afterwards authoritatively presented to the Convention as the plan of Virginia. The moral force of the then leading State of the Confederacy was thus, from the beginning, thrown into the wavering balance in favor of a wholly new Constitution, and against any partial amendment of the existing Articles of Confederation. Her very able delegation succeeded, though afterwards much divided upon details, in keeping the action of the Convention upon the original basis proposed by them. The discussion upon their