Happy Birthday America!

On September 17, 1787 a group of men did the impossible. That is to say they formed a country out of 13 separate squabbling colonies. After days of meetings and disagreements and hurt feelings they came together and passed upon the greatest written document since the magna carta. A document which solidified a Nation and formed what was to become the most powerful nation the world has ever seen. The influence of this document has been felt all over the world as other nations have looked to it to write their own constitutions. This document of course is The Constitution of the United States of America. On the fourth of July our Country declared its independence from British monarchial rule, but on September 17, 1887 our Country was born.

The Articles of Confederation had proven impotent with regards to securing the safety and security of the new little country, a more centralized form of government was needed and a handful of men which included the likes of George Washington, James Madison and Benjamin Franklin moved to establish a government which would stabilize power in the region and do away with the chaos which was threatening the very existence of the Country.

It was interesting after weeks of debate and getting nowhere, just when all were about to abandon all hope of being able to come to a consensus of ideas, the honorable Benjamin Franklin stood on June 28, and declared the following,

"Mr. President:
The small progress we have made after 4 or five weeks close
attendance & continual reasonings with each other -- our different
sentiments on almost every question, several of the last producing as many noes
as ays, is methinks a melancholy proof of the imperfection of the Human
Understanding. We indeed seem to feel our own wont of political wisdom, since we
have been running about in search of it. We have gone back to ancient history
for models of government, and examined the different forms of those Republics
which having been formed with the seeds of their own dissolution now no longer
exist. And we have viewed Modern States all round Europe, but find none of
their Constitutions suitable to our circumstances.
In this situation of
this Assembly groping as it were in the dark to find political truth, and scarce
able to distinguish it when to us, how has it happened, Sir, that we have not
hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of lights to illuminate
our understandings? In the beginning of the contest with G. Britain, when we
were sensible of danger we had daily prayer in this room for the Divine
Protection. -- Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered.
All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances
of a Superintending providence in our favor. To that kind providence we owe this
happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future
national felicity. And have we now forgotten that powerful friend? or do we
imagine that we no longer need His assistance.
I have lived, Sir, a long time
and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth -- that
God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground
without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We
have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings that "except the Lord build they
labor in vain that build it." I firmly believe this; and I also believe that
without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better
than the Builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our little partial local
interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall be become a
reproach and a bye word down to future age. And what is worse, mankind may
hereafter this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing Governments by
Human Wisdom, and leave it to chance, war, and conquest.
I therefore beg
leave to move -- that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and
its blessings on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning
before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the Clergy of this City
be requested to officiate in that service."

Many involved in the process of writing The Constitution later called it a miracle and inspired. This document of documents has withstood the tests of time and although being under constant attack by enemies both foreign and domestic has succeeded in protecting the American people. A sad prophecy was given by Benjamin Franklin the last day of the Convention after putting forth his support of its ratification. He stated , "In these sentiments, Sir, I agree to this Constitution with all its faults, if they are such; because I think a general Government necessary for us, and there is no form of Government but what may be a blessing to the people if well administered, and believe farther that this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in Despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic Government, being incapable of any other." Today we are seeing the fulfillment of Dr. Franklin's words, the people of this Nation are beginning to seek after political leaders who despise the freedoms that we are to hold dear. I seek the further establishment of Constitutional law while others would change or do away with The Constitution making it irrelevant as they sit and sup at the buffet of The Constitution only choosing that which doesn't give them political indigestion.

My fellow Citizens of this great Nation, this Wednesday we celebrate the birth of our Nation, we celebrate what it means to be Citizens of the United States of America, yet nobody realizes that this day is coming up or even the significance of the date on their calenders. Happy birthday America, and may the blessings of a loving God be poured out upon you and your Citizens.