Constitution Day

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

--Preamble to the United States Constitution

September 17th, 2008 is the 221st anniversary of the signing of the United States Constitution. In honor of the day I thought I would talk about Georgia's involvement in the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and about Georgia's ratification of the document. Georgia was the fourth State to ratify our Constitution, an action which occured on January 2nd, 1788. The ratification reads:

In Convention, Wednesday, January 2d, 1788.
To all to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting.
Whereas the form of a Constitution for the government of the United States of America, was, on the 17th day of September, 1787, agreed upon and reported to Congress by the deputies of the said United States convened in Philadelphia, which said Constitution is written in the words following, to wit: —
And whereas the United States in Congress assembled did, on the 28th day of September, 1787, resolve, unanimously, "That the said report, with the resolutions and letter accompanying the same, be transmitted to the several legislatures, in order to be submitted to a Convention of delegates chosen in each state by the people thereof, in conformity to the resolves of the Convention made and provided in that case;" —
And whereas the legislature of the state of Georgia did, on the 26th day of October, 1787, in pursuance of the above-recited resolution of Congress, resolve, That a Convention be elected on the day of the next general election, and in the same manner that representatives are elected; and that the said Convention consist of not more than three members from each county; and that the said Convention should meet at Augusta, on the 4th Tuesday in December then next, and, as soon thereafter as convenient, proceed to consider the said report and resolutions, and to adopt or reject any part or the whole thereof; —
Now know ye, that we, the delegates of the people of the state of Georgia, in Convention met, pursuant to the resolutions of the legislature aforesaid, having taken into our serious consideration the said Constitution, have assented to, ratified, and adopted, and by these presents do, in virtue of the powers and authority to us given by the people of the said state for that purpose, for and in behalf of ourselves and our constituents, fully and entirely assent to, ratify, and adopt, the said Constitution.
Done in Convention, at Augusta, in the said state, on the 2d day of January, in the year of our Lord 1788, and of the independence of the United States the 12th.
In witness whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names.
JOHN WEREAT, President,
and delegate for the county of Richmond.
County of Chatham,
W. Stephens,
Joseph Habersham.
Effingham,
Jenhim Davis,
N. Brownson.
Burke,
Edward Telfair,
H. Todd.
Richmond,
William Few,
James M'Niel.
Wilkes,
Geo. Matthews,
Flor. Sullivan,
John King.
Liberty,
James Powell,
John Elliot,
James Maxwell.
Glynn,
George Handley,
Christopher Hillary,
J. Milton.
Camden,
Henry Osborn,
James Seagrove,
Jacob Weed.
Washington,
Jared Irwin,
John Rutherford,
Greene,
Robert Christmas,
Thomas Daniel,
R. Middleton.

-- Source

There were four men who acted as delegates for Georgia to the Constitutional Convention. They were Adam Baldwin; William Few; William Churchill Houston; and William Pierce. The latter, Mr. Pierce, wrote several sketches of his colleagues from each State during his time at the Convention. As to his fellow Georgians, Mr. Pierce had this to say:

Abraham Baldwin Mr. Baldwin is a Gentleman of superior abilities, and joins in a public debate with great art and eloquence. Having laid the foundation of a compleat classical education at Harvard College, he pursues every other study with ease. Mr. Baldwin is about 38 years of age.

William Few Mr. Few possesses a strong natural Genius, and from application has acquired some knowledge of legal matters; -he practices at the bar of Georgia, and speaks tolerably well in the Legislature. He has been twice a Member of Congress, and served in that capacity with fidelity to his State, and honor to himself. Mr. Few is about 35 years of age.

William Churchill Houston Mr. Houston is an Attorney at Law, and has been a Member of Congress for the State of Georgia. He is a Gentleman of Family, and was educated in England. As to his legal or political knowledge he has very little to boast of. Nature seems to have done more for his corporeal than mental powers. His Person is striking, but his mind very little improved with useful or elegant knowledge. He has none of the talents requisite for the Orator, but in public debate is confused and irregular. Mr. Houston is about 30 years of age of an amiable and sweet temper, and of good and honorable principles.

William Pierce My own character I shall not attempt to draw, but leave those who may chose to speculate on it, to consider it in any light that their fancy or imagination may depict. I am conscious of having discharged my duty as a Soldier through the course of the late revolution with honor and propriety; and my services in Congress and the Convention were bestowed with the best intention towards the interest of Georgia, and towards the general welfare of the Confederacy. I possess ambition, and it was that, and the flattering opinion which some of my Friends had of me, that gave me a seat in the wisest Council in the World, and furnished me with an opportunity of giving these short Sketches of the Characters who composed it.

-- Source

Abraham Baldwin and William Few were the only two of the four delegates to sign the Constitution. Each man was instrumental in some way to the creation of the Constituion. For instance, Baldwin's change in vote concerning representation that led to the Congressional representation we know today.1 William Few was firmly nationalistic in his views of the government, was instrumental in getting Congress to approve the Constitution, and served in the State convention that ratified the Constitution.2 William Churchill Houston served only a short time at the Convention and did not sign the Constitution; however, he did make his mark - small as that mark may have been. He voted against the Committee which created the Connecticut Compromise and voted in opposition to Abraham Baldwin on the representation issue.3 Finally, we come to William Pierce. Mr. Pierce's major contributions to the Convention came with his desire to see the bicameral Congress split between one house elected by the people and the other by the States, a term limit of 3 years for those elected to the second house, and a stronger federal government.4

Because of the work of these four men, and the delegates from the other States, our Constitution was conceived and ratified, leaving us with a document of law that, while not perfect, has served us in good stead for as long as we have paid attention to the words within it. When we ignore the Constitution the Republic suffers. This is why each of us must be informed about the Constitution and we must hold our elected officials - servants of the people - accountable whenever they do ignore that great document in favor of their own ambition.

For more information on Constitution Day, please visit the Constituition Center's page on the holiday. Also, check out each of the links above in the body of this post.