However much Washington struggled with the decision to become
part of what became the Constitutional Convention, he had not
won a military victory only to demonstrate to the world that a
government for the people would dissolve into anarchy.
On May 14, 1787, delegates from the states met in the Constitutional
Convention in Philadelphia for the sole purpose of revising the
Articles of Confederation and George Washington was elected president. After only five days of discussion, the delegates
realized they were on a different course—to create a new Constitution
for the United States.
“Washington urged audacity.
According to a fellow delegate, he stated, ‘It is too probable
that no plan we propose will be adopted.
Perhaps another dreadful conflict is to be sustained. If, to please the people, we offer what we
ourselves disapprove, how can we afterwards defend our work? Let
us raise a standard to which the wise and the honest can repair. The event is in the hand of God.” [i]
“The magic of George Washington’s unselfish leadership and
his dynamic sincerity also began to have effect. For years he
had talked and written, urging a new government…True, he made
only one or two speeches on the floor of the Convention; his method
was much more effective. He took advantage of the noon or the
evening meal to discuss points of difference with individual delegates.
This personal approach frequently made a convert.
“Delegates often sought Washington’s opinion and advice. His
position as presiding officer required that he maintain an impartial
attitude while presiding. Still, many of the delegates wrote that
when he was meeting with a committee, and was not in the presiding
chair, he frequently showed by his face and gestures when he approved
or disapproved of a proposal. More important, every delegate knew
where Washington stood on every issue.
“It is worth noting that 30 of the 55 delegates had been officers
under Washington’s command during the Revolution. Three of them
had served as his closest, most trusted aides. John Dickinson
of Delaware had served as a brigadier general. Alexander Hamilton
of New York had served as Washington’s lieutenant colonel on his
staff and had been an heroic leader in his own right. Edmund Randolph,
then the Governor of Virginia, had served as an aide-de-camp to
General Washington.
“As each new subject came up, these men, who had lived with
Washington during the long war years, told the other delegates
what Washington had said or written about the issue.
“Moreover, during the years prior to the Convention, most of
the delegates had received letters from Washington stressing the
need for union, urging a strong central government, and emphasizing
the necessity for an executive with well-defined powers. He had
been tireless in urging that the central government must have
control of all aspects of commerce, the currency, and other significant
matters.
“As president of the Constitutional Convention, Washington
exhibited the same type of leadership that had been incredibly
effective during the war. He wisely realized that the first few
months of the Convention should be largely educational.
“He appreciated that the Constitution should be made for the
coming centuries, and thus, as close to perfect as possible. He
demonstrated a readiness to listen, a willingness to allow every
person to express himself completely, and a patient temperament
which permitted a delegate to reopen the same subject as many
times as he wished.
“These qualities worked a noticeable effect. Just as Washington
himself was always willing to listen to the ideas of any person,
so the members of the Convention found themselves listening to
each other, trying to understand each viewpoint.
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here to continue with Part 5 of Mount Vernon: A Photographic Essay,
Celebrating George Washington.
