Ben Franklin: Disapproving and Accepting the Constitution (1787)

 Disapproving and Accepting the Constitution (1787)

Bonus: 

^ You should accept this ^

Summary: Did you ever think that you might be wrong?

Commentary:

I'll do two split chunk pull things tonight:

Most men, indeed, as well as most sects in religion, think themselves in possession of all truth, and that wherever others differ from them, it is so far error.

[...]

I cannot help expressing a wish that every member of the convention who may still have objections to it, would, with me, on this occasion, doubt a little of his own infallibility.

I've covered a few other chunks along these lines in 15MAD (I think it was "Federalist 2"). Unless you're really, really, really, sure (like, 2+2=4 levels of sure) always remember you could be wrong. Don't let it paralyze you, but be aware of the possiblity.

And another on the failure of government:

I believe, further, 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.

[...]

 Much of the strength and efficiency of any government, in procuring and securing happiness to the people, depends on opinion, on the general opinion of the goodness of that government, as well as of the wisdom and integrity of its governors. 

That's pretty much what we're seeing today. Our legislative branch has become so ineffective, and people have become so distrustful of our government, that we get stuck with the so called "imperial presidency." Imperial and despotic are pretty much synonyms here.