The Vol. XIX.
Green
No. S
JAMES
Bag
BOSTON
WILSON — NATION
May, 1907
BUILDER1
By Lucien Hugh Alexander PART IV BY the time the United States Con stitution was ratified in 1788, James Wilson had triumphed over his political enemies and had become the leader of the dominant party in Pennsylvania, then the most important state in the Union; yet his rule was a sway of reason, resulting from universal recognition of his abilities as a leader of men and moulder of public opinion. William Findley, one of his most aggres sive opponents in the Pennsylvania rati fying convention of 1787, wrote that Wilson was " considered as the most able politi cian in the "state. " His commanding in fluence is strikingly illustrated by the words of the leader of the opposition to the ratification of the United States Constitu tion, who finding the Pennsylvania conven tion, as the result of Wilson's arguments, determined to ratify it, moved that the objections of the minority, including a series of articles in the nature of amend ments, be spread on the records. Wilson, opposing, demanded that the motion be reduced to writing, whereupon the leader of the opposition replied: "Indeed, sir, I know so well that if the honorable member from the city (Mr. Wil son) says the articles shall not, they will not be admitted, that I am not disposed to take the useless trouble of reducing my motion to writing, and, therefore, I with draw it." When the Constitution was finally ratified by the number of states necessary to put it into operation, a great celebration was held 1 Continued from the March number.
in Philadelphia, July 4, 1788, which included a procession of a character never equalled since, with floats representative of the various vocations and trades of the people, and upon one of which sat the Judges of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. This float, as described by Francis Hopkinson; was in the form of a large eagle, drawn by six horses, and upon it was the Constitution framed and fixed on a staff, crowned with the cap of liberty, the words THE PEOPLE in gold letters being on the staff immedi ately under the Constitution. In the pro cession each of the thirteen states was rep resented by a distinguished citizen, and James Wilson personified Pennsylvania. He was selected to deliver the oration 1 at Inde pendence Hall, and it is said 20,000 people assembled to hear him. The oration was effervescent with the spirit of the time and the exultation resulting from the victory of the Constitution and faith and hope in the future. With the vision of the seer, he fore shadowed the development of America : "The commencement of our government has been eminently glorious; let our pro gress in every excellence be proportionably great. It will — it must be so. What an enraptured prospect opens on the United States! .... Lowing herds adorn our val leys; bleating flocks spread over our hills; verdant meadows, enameled pastures, yellow harvests, bending orchards, rise in rapid succession from east to west. . . . Com merce next advances in all her splendid and embellished forms. The rivers and lakes and seas are crowded with ships. Their 1 For same in full see Wilson's Works (Bird Wilson edition, 1804)- vol. HI, pp. 299-311.
