On June 21 1788, the state of New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution of the United States of America, thereby putting it into effect as the law of the land.

Although all 13 states would eventually ratify the document, New Hampshire's vote was the final destination of a journey that began with a conference in own capital of Annapolis two years prior.

The proceedings of that conference, the Meeting of Commissioners to Remedy Defects of the Federal Government can be viewed here.

By no means have we, or will we achieve a "perfect" union. Attempts at perfect societies lead only to human misery. Our "great experiment" is rooted in the realization man by his very nature cannot be "perfect." You cannot immanentize the eschaton as William F. Buckley used to say.

In that light, our founders created a system of government based on ordered liberty to dissipate human passion and faction. To prevent tyranny and preserve liberty they must be set against one another.

We still bicker about the constitution and its meaning, we have even spilled our own blood over it. However, in the words of Abraham Lincoln our endeavor in self government, imperfect as it is, does indeed represent the "last best hope of earth."

Topics: The Constitution

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