{"data":{"description":"Read Washington's letter transmitting the Constitution : It was sent from the Convention to the Congress and was signed by G.W. on September 17, 1787.","title":"Letter Transmitting the Constitution","post_type":"page","content":"\u003ch2 style=\"color: #ad8431;\"\u003eSeptember 17, 1787\u003c/h2\u003e\r\n\u003cdiv class=\"divimgright\" style=\"font-weight: bold; color: #990000;\"\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003ca href=\"/earlyamerica/transmittal\"\u003e\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-4921 size-medium\" src=\"/images/earlyamerica/transmittal.jpg\" alt=\"Letter of Transmittal of the U.S. Constitution\" width=\"111\" height=\"300\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cp\u003e Letter of Transmittal of the U.S. Constitution\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\nClick image, then Right-click and View Image to Read the Original!\r\n\r\n\u003c/div\u003e\r\n\u003cp style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWashington's historic letter transmitting the Constitution as it appears in the Laws of The United States of America, printed by Richard Folwell, Philadelphia, 1796.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAfter deliberating for four months\u003c/strong\u003e in fashioning a Constitution, delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia finally approved a final draft and transmitted the document to the Congress of the Confederation.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp style=\"color: #000000;\"\u003eThe letter of transmittal from the Convention to the Congress was signed by George Washington on September 17, 1787.\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003ch2 class=\"firsth1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ad8431;\"\u003eThe Letter of Transmittal of the U.S. Constitution\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\r\n\u003ch3\u003eLETTER OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL CONVENTION, TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS, TRANSMITTING THE CONSTITUTION\u003c/h3\u003e\r\n\u003ch3\u003eIn Convention September 17, 1787\u003c/h3\u003e\r\nSir,\r\n\r\nWe have now the honor to submit to the consideration of the United States in Congress assembled, that Constitution which has appeared to us the most advisable.\r\n\r\nThe friends of our country have long seen and desired, that the power of making war, peace, and treaties, that of levying money and regulating commerce, and the correspondent executive and judicial authorities should be fully and effectually vested in the general government of the Union: But the impropriety of delegating such extensive trust to one body of men is evident -- Hence results the necessity of a different organization.\r\n\r\nIt is obviously impractical in the federal government of these states, to secure all rights of independent sovereignty to each, and yet provide for the interest and safety of all: Individuals entering into society, must give up a share of liberty to preserve the rest. The magnitude of the sacrifice must depend as well on situation and circumstances, as on the object to be obtained. It is at all times difficult to draw with precision the line between those rights which must be surrendered, and those which may be reserved; and on the present occasion this difficulty was increased by a difference among the several states as to their situation, extent, habits, and particular interests.\r\n\r\nIn all our deliberations on this subject we kept steadily in our view, that which appears to us the greatest interest of every true American, the consolidation of our Union, in which is involved our prosperity, felicity, safety, perhaps our national existence. This important consideration, seriously and deeply impressed on our minds, led each state in the Convention to be less rigid on points of inferior magnitude, than might have been otherwise expected; and thus the Constitution, which we now present, is the result of a spirit of amity, and of that mutual deference and concession which the peculiarity of our political situation rendered indispensable.\r\n\r\nThat it will meet the full and entire approbation of every state is not perhaps to be expected; but each will doubtless consider that had her interest been alone consulted, the consequences might have been particularly disagreeable or injurious to others; that it is liable to as few exceptions as could reasonably have been expected, we hope and believe; that it may promote the lasting welfare of that country so dear to us all, and secure her freedom and happiness, is our most ardent wish.\r\n\r\nWith great respect, We have the honor to be, Sir,\r\nYour Excellency's most obedient and humble servants,\r\n\r\nGeorge Washington, President\r\nBy unanimous Order of the Convention.\r\n\r\nHis Excellency the President of Congress","menu":[{"path":"lives-early-america","title":"Famous Lives","submenu":[{"path":"lives-early-america/autobiography-benjamin-franklin","title":"Autobiography of Ben Franklin"},{"path":"lives-early-america/ramsays-life-washington","title":"Ramsay's The Life of Washington"},{"path":"lives-early-america/adventures-col-daniel-boone","title":"The Adventures of Col. 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