Page:The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787 Volume 2.djvu/649

 RECORDS OF THE FEDERAL CONVENTION 643 Monday MADISON September _r 7 purpose of cutting one another's throats. Thus I consent, Sir, to this Constitution because I expect no better, and be- cause I am not sure, that it is not the best. The opinions I have had of its errors, I sacrifice to the public good -- I have never whispered a syllable of them abroad- Within these walls they were born, and here the3r shall die- If every one of us in returning to our Constituents were to report the objec- tions he has had to it, and endeavor to gain partizans in sup- port of them, we might prevent its being generally received, and thereby lose all the salutary effects & great advantages resulting naturally in our favor among foreign Nations as well as among ourselves, from our real or apparent unanimity. Much of the strength & efficiency of any Government in pro- curing and securing happiness to the people, depends. on opinion, on the general opinion of the goodness of the Govern- ment, as well as well as of the wisdom and integrity of its Governors. I hope therefore that for our own sakes as a part of the people, and for the sake of posterity, we shall act heartily and unanimously in recommending this Constitution (if approved by Congress & confirmed by the Conventions) wherever our influence may extend, and turn our future thoughts & endeavors to the means of having it well admin- istered. On the whole, Sir, I cannot help ex/)resslng a wish that every member of the Convention who may still have objec- tions to it, would with me, on this occasion doubt a little of his own infallibility--and to make manifest our unanimity, put his name to this instrument."--He then moved that the Constitution be signed by the members and offered the follow- ing as a convenient form viz. "Done in Convention, by the unanimous consent of the States present the I7th. of Sepr. &c -- In Witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names." This ambiguous form had been drawn up by Mr. G. M. in order to gain the dissenting members, and put into the hands of Docr. Franklin that it might have the better chance of SUCCESS. Mr. Gorham said i{ it was not too late he could wish, for the purpose of lessening obiections to the Constitution, that

�