The Post-Journal
Having
The Last Word
May 3,
2025
Rolland Kidder
Having recently reread James Madison’s Journal of the
Federal Convention, (the last time being in college) reminded me of the old
adage that “he who speaks last, speaks first.”
Ben Franklin did not speak much at the convention, but
when he is recorded as having done so his remarks were usually general and
positive in nature – this despite the fact that there was much disagreement and
acrimony between the delegates.
While members were signing the final document, Franklin
“looking toward the President’s (George Washington’s) chair” observed that an
image of the sun had been carved into the back of it. He had not been sure
whether it was a “rising” or “setting” sun but now, at the end of this
contentious convention, he was sure that it was a “rising, and not a setting
sun.”
Franklin was old at the time, and the seemingly endless
proceedings took place over a hot summer in Philadelphia. For secrecy and
privacy reasons, the windows in Independence Hall were kept closed. That he
could sit there for four months through the heat, often boring debate and
parliamentary squabbles, is quite a remarkable accomplishment in itself.
To read Madison’s Journal is a grind, as most of it is
written in the way you would write up the minutes of any formal meeting – roll
call votes, votes to refer to committees, reports from committees, arguments
about quorums, etc.
And underlying the proceedings was an expressed
disappointment in the status of the country at that time – a pessimism about
its future. Many of the delegates had come from state legislatures and did not
hold them in high regard. Many comments were made about the self-serving nature
of politicians, “exotic corruption,” “office hunting,” and the “mischievous
influence of demagogues.”
In response to these concerns, some had proposed
limiting participation in the new federal government to “natives” only, to
those born in the country. Others thought that requiring that elected officials
have wealth and be property owners would help clean up corruption.
But, Ben Franklin reminded those gathered that many
people not born in the country had helped win the American Revolution and that
“some of the greatest rogues he was ever acquainted with were the richest
rogues.”
And, so it went, back-and-forth, over four hot summer
months in 1787, through various proposals, votes and revotes until consensus
was finally reached. (Not all would sign it.) The issue of slavery in the
country was also hotly debated, and a three-fifths compromise was made to the
southern states so that slaves would be counted as 3/5ths of a person for
representation purposes.
The proposed Constitution was not a perfect document,
but it was the best they could do at the time to build a better and stronger
nation.
The last entry in James Madison’s Journal came from the
“old salt” in the room, Ben Franklin – the sun was rising and not setting. The
proposal would go to conventions in the 13 states for their approval, asking
the people to support it in order to create a stronger union. It was approved,
and here we are, after many Amendments and a Civil War to settle the slavery
question, still going some 238 years later.
