User:Robbie/Franklin here: Difference between revisions
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<blockquote>On September 17, 1787, as the delegates to the Constitutional Convention left Independence Hall, having signed the draft Constitution, Mrs. Powel of Philadelphia asked Dr. Franklin,<br> | <blockquote>On September 17, 1787, as the delegates to the Constitutional Convention left Independence Hall, having signed the draft Constitution, Mrs. Powel of Philadelphia asked Dr. Franklin,<br> | ||
"Well Doctor what have we got a republic or a monarchy?"<br> | "Well Doctor what have we got a republic or a monarchy?"<br> | ||
— "A republic," replied the Doctor, "if you can keep it."< | — "A republic," replied the Doctor, "if you can keep it."<ref>Based on an anecdote contributed by James McHenry, delegate from Maryland, to <i>The records of the federal convention of 1787,</i> Max Ferrand, ed. III:85.</ref></blockquote> | ||
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<p>On this substack, we study what Benjamin Franklin then foresaw in adding “if you can keep it” to his response. With Franklin, we ask, How might we, the American people, eventually lose our republic? What must we the people do to keep it? To start, let’s attend closely to a short speech Franklin had given a couple hours before voicing this doubt that we could keep our republic they were then engaged in creating for us.</p> | <p>On this substack, we study what Benjamin Franklin then foresaw in adding “if you can keep it” to his response. With Franklin, we ask, How might we, the American people, eventually lose our republic? What must we the people do to keep it? To start, let’s attend closely to a short speech Franklin had given a couple hours before voicing this doubt that we could keep our republic they were then engaged in creating for us.</p> | ||
<p class="cent">* * *</p> | <p class="cent">* * *</p> | ||