September 16, 1787: A Final Recess

Constitution of the United States

National Archives, https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/downloads

“My dear Peggy, Yesterday evening the plan of government passed by an unanimous vote, and tomorrow we shall determine the mode to promulgate it and then put an end to the existence of the convention”

--James McHenry

Sunday, September 16, 1787: The Convention Today

The convention was in recess as its members prepared for their trips home, and Secretary William Jackson sorted his papers.

Jacob Shallus, assistant clerk to the General Assembly of Pennsylvania, likely spent much of the day engrossing (handwriting) the Constitution on parchment for the delegates to sign.

There was general agreement among the exhausted delegates that this was a good Constitution for the United States. But one state, Rhode Island, never sent any delegates to the Convention, because it was too suspicious of a strong, centralized government. Three men still present in the Convention—Mason (VA), Randolph (VA), and Gerry (MA)—had already announced that they would refuse to sign the Constitution. Another four—Yates (NY), Lansing (NY), Mercer (MD), and Luther Martin (MD)—had left the Convention early because they disapproved of its work. Most of these men, and several other prominent Americans, would work against the ratification of the Constitution in their states’ conventions. Ratification would be difficult even with only nine states necessary to begin a union. Only a handful of states, if any, seemed likely to easily ratify.

Synopsis

• The Convention was in its last Sunday recess.
• One official copy of the Constitution was handwritten.

Delegates Today

• Johnson attended St. Paul’s Church, dined at home, and then called upon Bishop William White and Benjamin Chew.
• Washington (VA) spent the forenoon writing letters, dined with Mary and Robert Morris (PA) at their country place, The Hills, and returned to Philadelphia in the evening. Three agents in southwestern Pennsylvania wrote concerning the land Washington owned there, and his efforts to either sell to the squatters who occupied it or to have them evicted.
• Franklin's (PA) old friend, the British economist George Whately, wrote to him from London to discuss paper money, the inapproachability of American Minister John Adams, and other matters.

Philadelphia Today

• The day was cool and pleasant.