Sep 24, 2026 · 30 min · 10 segments
4 prisoners from the Walnut Street jail carried Benjamin Franklin to the Constitutional Convention in a sedan chair — the oldest delegate, 81, riding above the cobblestones to sit with the youngest, a…
William Pierce of Georgia, the same Major Pierce who went pale over a dropped paper and a missing pocket copy, kept something in his private papers besides his notes of the debates.
He wrote out a sketch of every man in the room, what each one looked like, how he spoke, what he was worth in debate, and what he wasn't.
A portrait gallery of the convention, drawn from a seat inside it.
Those sketches survive.
Major Pierce reached for the biggest comparison he knew, a Swedish liberator king, a Russian empire builder, and a Roman farmer general.
Like Peter the Great, he appears as a politician and a statesman.
And like Cincinnatus, he returned to his farm perfectly contented with being only a plain citizen, after enjoying the highest honors of the Confederacy, and now only seeks the approbation of his countrymen by being virtuous and useful.
Franklin is well known to be the greatest philosopher of the present age.
The very heavens obey him, and the clouds yield up their lightning to be imprisoned in his rod.
But what calm he has to a politician posterity must determine, It is certain that he does not shine much in public counsel.
He is no speaker, nor does he seem to let politics engage his attention.
He is, however, a most extraordinary man, and tells a story in a style more engaging than anything I ever heard.
Then there was the small man in black from the boarding house at Fifth and Market, the one who arrived eleven days early.
"'Mr.
Madison is a character who has long been in public life, and what is very remarkable is every person seems to acknowledge his greatness.' He blends together the profound politician with the scholar.
In the management of every great question, he evidently took the lead in convention.
From the spirit of industry and application, which he possesses in a most eminent degree, he always comes forward the best informed man of any point in debate.
Mr. Madison is about thirty-seven years of age, a gentleman of great modesty with a remarkably sweet temper.
He is easy and unreserved among his acquaintances, and has a most agreeable style of conversations.
William Pierce of Georgia, the same Major Pierce who went pale over a dropped paper and a missing pocket copy, kept something in his private papers besides his notes of the debates.
He wrote out a sketch of every man in the room, what each one looked like, how he spoke, what he was worth in debate, and what he wasn't.
A portrait gallery of the convention, drawn from a seat inside it.
Those sketches survive.
Major Pierce reached for the biggest comparison he knew, a Swedish liberator king, a Russian empire builder, and a Roman farmer general.
Like Peter the Great, he appears as a politician and a statesman.
And like Cincinnatus, he returned to his farm perfectly contented with being only a plain citizen, after enjoying the highest honors of the Confederacy, and now only seeks the approbation of his countrymen by being virtuous and useful.
Franklin is well known to be the greatest philosopher of the present age.
The very heavens obey him, and the clouds yield up their lightning to be imprisoned in his rod.
But what calm he has to a politician posterity must determine, It is certain that he does not shine much in public counsel.
He is no speaker, nor does he seem to let politics engage his attention.
He is, however, a most extraordinary man, and tells a story in a style more engaging than anything I ever heard.
Then there was the small man in black from the boarding house at Fifth and Market, the one who arrived eleven days early.
"'Mr.
Madison is a character who has long been in public life, and what is very remarkable is every person seems to acknowledge his greatness.' He blends together the profound politician with the scholar.
In the management of every great question, he evidently took the lead in convention.
From the spirit of industry and application, which he possesses in a most eminent degree, he always comes forward the best informed man of any point in debate.
Mr. Madison is about thirty-seven years of age, a gentleman of great modesty with a remarkably sweet temper.
He is easy and unreserved among his acquaintances, and has a most agreeable style of conversations.
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