The Constitutional Convention: Sherman, Sherman And Ellsworth

These political compromises were the result of the work done by moderates of the Constitutional Convention who acted more out of practicality rather than ideology. They understood that the work they been completing would be futile if it the general public did not approve. Rather than allow the nationalists completely topple the minority party at the convention, men such as Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth pushed for compromise that would be satisfying to both small and large states. Forrest McDonald writes, “The practical maneuverings of such foederalists as Rutledge, Sherman, and Ellsworth helped transform the conceptions into reality.” Work at the convention would have been nearly impossible without the moderate party pushing for each
The most significant being its lack of a Bill of Rights. This is an example of how material interests outweigh ideologies of the delegates. The new system of government was drastically different from the former, it was given significantly more power and took key powers away from the state governments in order to create a more strengthened federal system. The people concerned that this new Constitution would enable the government to infringe on these rights without any consideration. The lack of a bill of rights in the Constitution was one of the key reasons why George Mason refused to sign the Constitution, he wrote, “ The Declarations of Rights in the separate States are no security … In the House of Representatives there is not the substance but the shadow only of representation; which can never produce proper information in the legislature, or inspire confidence in the people; the laws will therefore be generally made by men little concerned in, and unacquainted with their effects and consequences.” George Mason was concerned about how the new Constitution would be received among the people if they refused to include a Bill of Rights, a common practice among
James Madison, who originally believed that a Bill of Rights would greatly weaken the federal government, eventually warmed to the idea of a Bill of Rights on the persistence of his adversaries. Madison knew it would be detrimental to add amendments to the Constitution during ratification because it would open the door to a possible second convention. A convention which would not be held in secret as was the first, and therefore even more open to public scrutiny. Madison reasoned to promise that once elected to the House of Representatives he would advocate for the introduction to a Bill of Rights. Madison held up his promise in the