placed at the door to keep away all intruders； and the pavement of the street in front of the building was covered with loose earth so that the noises of passing traffic should not disturb this august assembly。 It is not surprising that a tradition grew up about the Federal Convention which hedged it round with a sort of awe and reverence。 Even Thomas Jefferson referred to it as 〃an assembly of demigods。〃 If we can get away from the glamour which has been spread over the work of the Fathers of the Constitution and understand that they were human beings； even as we are； and influenced by the same motives as other men； it may be possible to obtain a more faithful impression of what actually took place。 Since representation in the Convention was to be by States； just as it had been in the Continental Congress； the presence of delegations from a majority of the States was necessary for organization。 It is a commentary upon the times； upon the difficulties of travel； and upon the leisurely habits of the people； that the meeting which had been called for the 14th of May could not begin its work for over ten days。 The 25th of May was stormy； and only twenty…nine delegates were on hand when the Convention organized。 The slender attendance can only partially be attributed to the weather； for in the following three months and a half of the Convention； at which fifty…five members were present at one time or another； the average attendance was only slightly larger than that of the first day。 In such a small body personality counted for much； in ways that the historian can only surmise。 Many compromises of conflicting interests were reached by informal discussion outside of the formal sessions。 In these small gatherings individual character was often as decisive as weighty argument。 George Washington was unanimously chosen as the presiding officer of the Convention。 He sat on a raised platform； in a large； carved； high…backed chair； from which his commanding figure and dignified bearing exerted a potent influence on the assembly； an influence enhanced by the formal courtesy and stately intercourse of the times。 Washington was the great man of his day and the members not only respected and admired him； some of them were actually afraid of him。 When he rose to his feet he was almost the Commitnder…in…Chief again。 There is evidence to show that his support or disapproval was at times a decisive factor in the deliberations of the Convention。 Virginia； which had taken a conspicuous part in the calling of the Convention； was looked to for leadership in the work that was to be done。 James Madison； next to Washington the most important member of the Virginia delegation； was the very opposite of Washington in many respectssmall and slight in stature； inconspicuous in dress as in figure； modest and retiring； but with a quick； active mind and wide knowledge obtained both from experience in public affairs and from extensive reading。 Washington was the man of action； Madison； the scholar in politics。 Madison was the younger by nearly twenty years； but Washington admired him greatly and gave him the support of his influencea matter of no little consequence； for Madison was the leading expert worker of the Convention in the business of framing the Constitution。 Governor Edmund Randolph； with his tall figure； handsome face； and dignified manner； made an excellent impression in the position accorded tohim of nominal leader of the Virginia delegation。 Among others irom the same State who should be noticed were the famous lawyers； George Wythe and George Mason。 Among the deputies from Pennsylvania the foremost was James Wilson； the 〃Caledonian；〃 who probably stood next in importance in the convention to Madison and Washington。 He had come to America as a young man just when the troubles with England were beginning and by sheer ability had attained a position cof prominence。 Several times a member of Congress； a signer of the Declaration of Independence； he was now regarded as one of the ablest lawyers in the United States。 A more brilliant member of the Pennsylvania delegation； and one of the most brilliant of the Convention； was Gouverneur Morris； who shone by his cleverness and quick wit as well as by his wonderful command of ）anguage。 But Morris was admired more than he was trusted； and； while he supported the efforts for a strong government； his support was not always as great a help as might have been expected。 A crippled arm and a wooden leg might detract from his personal appearance； but they could not subdue his spirit and audacity。* * There is a story which illustrates admirably the audacity of Morris and the austere dignity of Washington。 The story runs that Morris and several members of the Cabinet were spending an evening at the President's house in Philadelphia； where they were discussing the absorbing question of the hour； whatever it may have been。 〃The President；〃 Morris is said to have related on the following day； 〃was standing with his arms behind him his usual positionhis back to the fire。 I started up and spoke； stamping； as I walked up and down； with my wooden leg； and； as I was certain I had the best of the argument； as I finished I stalked up to the President； slapped him on the back； and said。 〃Ain't I right； General？〃 The President did not speak； but the majesty of the American people was before me。 Oh； his look！ How I wished the floor would open and I could descend to the cellar！ You know me；〃 continued Mr。 Morris； 〃and you know my eye would never quail before any other mortal。〃W。 T。 Read； Life and Correspondence of George Read （1870） p。441。
There were other prominent members of the Pennsylvania delegation； but none of them took an important part in the Convention； not even the aged Benjamin Franklin； President of the State。 At the age of eighty…one his powers were failing； and he was so feeble that his colleague Wilson read his speeches for him。 His opinions were respected； but they do not seem to have carried much weight。 Other noteworthy members of the Convention； though hardly in the first class； were the handsome and charming Rufus King of Massachusetts； one of the coming men of the country； and Nathaniel Gorham of the same State； who was President of Congressa man of good sense rather than of great ability； but one whose reputation was high and whose presence was a distinct asset to the Convention。 Then； too； there were the delegates from South Carolina： John Rutledge； the orator； General Charles Cotesworth Pinckney of Revolutionary fame； and his cousin； Charles Pinckney。 The last named took a conspicuous part in the proceedings in Philadelphia but； so far as the outcome was concerned； left his mark on the Constitution mainly in minor matters and details。 The men who have been named were nearly all supporters of the plan for a centralized government。 On the other side were William Paterson of New Jersey； who had been Attorney…General of his State for eleven years and who was respected for his knowledge and ability； John Dickinson of Delaware； the author of the 〃Farmer's Letters〃 and chairman of the committee of Congress that had framed the Articles of Confederationable； scholarly； and sincere； but nervous； sensitive； and conscientious to the verge of timiditywhose refusal to sign the Declaration of Independence had cost him his popularity； though he was afterward returned to Congress and became president successively of Delaware and of Pennsylvania； Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts； a successful merchant； prominent in politics； and greatly interested in questions of commerce and finance； and the Connecticut delegates； forming an unusual trio； Dr。 William Samuel Johnson； Roger Sherman； and Oliver Ellsworth。 These men were fearful of establishing too strong a government and were at one time or another to be found in opposition to Madison and his supporters。 They were not mere obstructionists； however； and while not constructive in the same way that Madison and Wilson were； they must be given some credit for the form which the Constitution finally assumed。 Their greatest service was in restraining the tendency of the majority to overrule the rights of States and in modifying the desires of individuals for a government that would have been too strong to work well in practice。 Alexander Hamilton of New York； as one of the ablest members of the Convention； was expected to take an important part； but he was out of touch with the views of the majority。 He was aristocratic rather than democratic and； however excellent his ideas may have been； they were too radical for his fellow delegates and found but little support。 He threw his strength in favor of a strong government and was ready to aid the movement in whatever way he could。 But within his own delegation he was outvoted by Robert Yates and John Lansing； and before the sessions were half over he was deprived of a vote by the withdrawal of his colleagues。 Thereupon； finding himself of little service； he went to New York and returned to Philadelphia only once or twice for a few days at a time； and finally to sign the completed document。 Luther Martin of Maryland was an able lawyer and the Attorney…General of his State； but he was supposed to be allied with undesirable interests； and it was said that he had been sent to the Convention for the purpose of opposing a strong government。 He proved to be a tiresome speaker and his prosiness； when added to the suspicion attaching to his motives； cost him much of the influence which he might otherwise have had。 All in all； the delegates to the Federal Convention were a remarkable body of men。 Most of them had played important parts in the drama of the Revolution； three…fourths of them had served in Congress； and practically all were persons of note in their respective States and had held important public positions。 They may not have been the 〃assembly of demigods〃 which Jefferson called them； for another contemporary insisted 〃that twenty assemblies of equal number might be collected equally respectable both in point of ability； integrity； and patriotism。〃 Perhaps it would be safer to regard the Convention as a fairly representative body； which was of a somewhat higher order than would be gathered together today； because the social conditions of those day