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| Benjamin Franklin |
Noting the many controversies about the proposed Constitution, Franklin urged the Convention to adopt it and send it to the states for ratification. Franklin was too old and weak to speak in person. He instead gave the draft to his colleague James Wilson, who read it to the delegates. "I consent, Sir, to this Constitution because I expect no better," he said, "and because I am not sure, that it is not the best. The opinions I have had of its errors, I sacrifice to the public good."
So, here’s an important contrast, and a lesson to learn: many people today think that the Founders of our Republic were demigods of unearthly wisdom. Nevertheless, in reality, the Founders themselves were divided and uncertain about what they had done. We can learn from their humility.
Today, we too often think of the Constitution as a sacred document. We think of it as an unchangeable
pact of immutable wisdom. At the time, however, its adoption caused much controversy. Franklin did not begin his speech by praising the Constitution to the skies. Instead, he noted its many weaknesses and urged its critics to recognize that they might sometimes be wrong. Franklin did not think that the Constitution was divinely inspired. Instead, he advised the political leaders, gathered together to form a new government, to exercise modesty and humility.
Franklin began by acknowledging that there were parts of the Constitution that he disliked. He defended it all the same. His defense was not that everything was good, but simply that he recognized his own fallibility:
Franklin then warned the delegates not to think of the Constitution in religious terms, or to think that the delegates were infallible as churches often claim to be. He gave that argument a nice humorous twist:
Concluding his brief speech, Franklin did not give an impassioned plea that the proposed Constitution was perfect. He knew, and specifically acknowledged, that it was not. Instead, he urged the delegates to realize that the proposed document was the best that they were likely to produce and compromise on. Instead of telling them that the Constitution had no weaknesses, he asked them to adopt it despite its weaknesses:
A healthy dose of humility, is, indeed, sorely missing in today’s political discourse. People assert their political views with absolute conviction. The more absurd their views become, the more obstinate people become about them. We live in a world where people are as happy to believe in Kellyanne Conway’s “alternative facts” as they are in anything true. Franklin’s modesty and wisdom can teach us much.
Franklin recognized, as we all should, that anyone can be wrong. Let us, therefore, not worship Benjamin Franklin as a demigod. Let us instead recognize him as a fallible human being who did the best he felt that he could. We should think the same about the best of us in the United States today. The fact that someone lived a long time ago does not make that person perfect. Nor should we think of the United States Constitution as a religious dogma. Franklin warned us about that. The Constitution has served us for centuries; that does not mean that it is perfect. The people who wrote it did not think it was perfect. Why should we believe otherwise? So, let us learn to be humble, recognize our own fallibility, and compromise for the public good.
So, here’s an important contrast, and a lesson to learn: many people today think that the Founders of our Republic were demigods of unearthly wisdom. Nevertheless, in reality, the Founders themselves were divided and uncertain about what they had done. We can learn from their humility.
Today, we too often think of the Constitution as a sacred document. We think of it as an unchangeable
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| Independence Hall |
pact of immutable wisdom. At the time, however, its adoption caused much controversy. Franklin did not begin his speech by praising the Constitution to the skies. Instead, he noted its many weaknesses and urged its critics to recognize that they might sometimes be wrong. Franklin did not think that the Constitution was divinely inspired. Instead, he advised the political leaders, gathered together to form a new government, to exercise modesty and humility.
Franklin began by acknowledging that there were parts of the Constitution that he disliked. He defended it all the same. His defense was not that everything was good, but simply that he recognized his own fallibility:
"I confess that there are several parts of this constitution which I do not at present approve, but I am not sure I shall never approve them: For having lived long, I have experienced many instances of being obliged by better information, or fuller consideration, to change opinions even on important subjects, which I once thought right, but found to be otherwise. It is therefore that the older I grow, the more apt I am to doubt my own judgment, and to pay more respect to the judgment of others."
Franklin then warned the delegates not to think of the Constitution in religious terms, or to think that the delegates were infallible as churches often claim to be. He gave that argument a nice humorous twist:
"Most men indeed as well as most sects in Religion, think themselves in possession of all truth, and that wherever others differ from them it is so far error. Steele a Protestant in a Dedication tells the Pope, that the only difference between our Churches in their opinions of the certainty of their doctrines is, the Church of Rome is infallible and the Church of England is never in the wrong."
Concluding his brief speech, Franklin did not give an impassioned plea that the proposed Constitution was perfect. He knew, and specifically acknowledged, that it was not. Instead, he urged the delegates to realize that the proposed document was the best that they were likely to produce and compromise on. Instead of telling them that the Constitution had no weaknesses, he asked them to adopt it despite its weaknesses:
"On the whole, Sir, I can not help expressing a wish that every member of the Convention who may still have objections 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."
A healthy dose of humility, is, indeed, sorely missing in today’s political discourse. People assert their political views with absolute conviction. The more absurd their views become, the more obstinate people become about them. We live in a world where people are as happy to believe in Kellyanne Conway’s “alternative facts” as they are in anything true. Franklin’s modesty and wisdom can teach us much.
Franklin recognized, as we all should, that anyone can be wrong. Let us, therefore, not worship Benjamin Franklin as a demigod. Let us instead recognize him as a fallible human being who did the best he felt that he could. We should think the same about the best of us in the United States today. The fact that someone lived a long time ago does not make that person perfect. Nor should we think of the United States Constitution as a religious dogma. Franklin warned us about that. The Constitution has served us for centuries; that does not mean that it is perfect. The people who wrote it did not think it was perfect. Why should we believe otherwise? So, let us learn to be humble, recognize our own fallibility, and compromise for the public good.
Historical Note: What were the delegates' biggest concerns about the Constitution? Some of the northern delegates felt that it was unacceptable that the Constitution allowed slavery. Many of the delegates felt that the Constitution did not list and guarantee enough individual rights. That latter fault was largely rectified by the adoption of the Bill of Rights, which were the first 10 amendments to the Constitution. There were many other disagreements, as well.
Image of Benjamin Franklin: Joseph Duplessis - metmuseum.org, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12154958
Image of Independence Hall: copyright William Harpine
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