Morris and Madison: Founding Fathers of the Constitution

Shelton’s own Ripton Parish Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, commemorates the 239^th anniversary of the signing of our Constitution. Below are some thoughts on two men who shaped the Constitution of the United States in 1787 in Philadelphia – Gouverneur Morris of New York and James Madison of Virginia.

Gouverneur Morris was known as “the Penman of the Constitution”. He was eccentric and outspoken and contributed in multiple ways to building the core foundation of American government. Morris was one of New York’s prominent Tory families but went over to the Patriot side and devoted himself fully to the American revolutionary cause. Gouverneur Morris was a tall man and had two mishaps that left him with a withered right arm and a wooden left leg. In college he scalded his arm in a lab experiment which caused him to leave college for a year. Many years later he was in a carriage accident that necessitated having his leg amputated.

At the Constitutional Convention, he made 173 speeches, more than any other delegate. He was one of the five members of the Committee of Style who took the 23 articles passed by the convention and combined them into 7 articles that were concise and flowed nicely when read. He wrote the 55-word Preamble to explain the purpose of the laws set down in the Constitution. “In Order to Form a More Perfect Union” tells us why the Constitution was written. In “establish Justice” we are guaranteed that we will all be treated fairly. “Insure Domestic Tranquility” promises that we can live together in peace. “Provide for the Common Defense” say that the citizens of the United States will be protected from any and all enemies. “Promote the General Welfare” states that everything will be done for the common good of the country and its citizens. And, “Secure the Blessings of Liberty” simply means that we are a free people. This guarantee of freedom is the cornerstone of democracy.

James Madison is called the “Father of the Constitution” mainly because he came to the Constitutional Convention so well prepared and because he took copious notes each night after the day’s session. Princeton educated, Madison read hundreds of books about governments and documents like the Magna Carta. Many of these were given to him by Thomas Jefferson. James Madison had a high, reedy voice and was not noted as a particularly good speaker, nonetheless, he made 150 speeches at the Convention. He was the originator of the Virginia Plan which favored the larger states as well as a strong central government and, though his plan was not accepted, many of its components were found in the final Constitution. Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and Madison wrote 85 essays called the “Federalists Papers” to gain support for the Constitution.

The Framers of the Constitution met in Philadelphia during the late spring and summer of 1787 to address the fracturing of the new United States into separate states focused only on their own interests. Though some delegates were sent by their states to revise the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, others, especially James Madison and George Washington, knew a new form of government had to be created if the United States would survive. The type of government they devised had never been tried, but they hoped that if it were ratified by nine states, it would hold the new country together and this experiment in self-government would succeed.

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution is dedicated to promoting Historic Preservation, Education and Patriotism. DAR members are women who come from diverse backgrounds and have a variety of interests.Any woman 18 years old or older, regardless of race, religion or ethnic background, who can prove direct lineage to a Revolutionary War ancestor is eligible to join. For more information, visit https://www.dar.org/ For information on Ripton Parish Chapter, NSDAR, Inc. visit https://riptonparishchapter.org/ To learn more about America250! Visit https://www.dar.org/national-society/america-250/america250-foundation-partner