--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Roberts, D. R. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 26 number: 3 published: 1923-01 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'D. R. Roberts, "What Is the Real Birthday of the United States of America?", *Improvement Era* 26, no. 3 (January 1923): 228–230.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2603unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera2603unse start_page: 228 end_page: 230 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1923-01) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2603unse publication_year: 1923 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1923, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # What Is the Real Birthday of the United States of America? What is the Real Birthday of the United States of America? By D. R. Roberts During the year 1911, it was my privilege to be living in the city of Washington D. C, and to be connected with the clerical force of the United States Senate. I had charge of the work of preparing appropriate titles for documents that were introduced in the Senate, and ordering the printing of the same, etc. At this time, and prior thereto, there was an important cpiestion occupying the attention of many members of Congress and the leading mien of the nation, namely: "When does the Congressional Term begin and end?" I was much interested in all that was published upon the subject, and was constantly on the lookout for any documents, periodicals, or other writings or opinions relating to the matter. My immediate chief in the office of the Secretary of the Senate, Honorable Henry M. Rose, the Assistant Secretary, spent considerable time, of his own accord, in gathering all of the his- torical data and established precedents relating to the subject. At his own expense, he published a pamphet entitled "The Congressional Term — When does it Begin and End?" embody- ing those facts. As soon as the first copies were off the press, I secured one from Mr. Rose and began reading it, and was very much impressed with the "peculiar coincidence" in history which it disclosed. I immediately called the attention of friends to the same and secured several hundred copies which were sent broadcast to my friends in the mountains. I quote verbatim from the above entitled pamphlet of Mr. Rose, beginning on page 6, which is as follows: "3. Fixing the Time and Place for the Beginning] of Government Under die Constitution. "On Monday, September 17, 1787, the session of the convention fol- lowing that in which the signatures were affixed to the completed draft of the Constitution, it was: "Resolved, That it is the Opinion of this Convention that as soon as the Conventions of nine States shall have ratified this Constitution, the United States in Congress assembled should fix a Day on which Electors should be appointed by the States which shall have ratified the same, and a Day on which the Electors should assemble and vote for the President, and the Time and Place for commencing Proceedings under this Constitu- REAL BIRTHDAY OF THE UNITED STATES 229 tion, etc. (Journal Constitutional Convention, in writing of James Madison, Vol. IV. p. 504.) "4. March Fourth Becomes Historical Day. "From the proceedings of the Continental Congress of Saturday, Sep- tember 13, 1788, it is found the following resolution was adopted on that day: (After reciting in a preamble a portion of the resolution of Sep- tember 13, 1887, above given.) "Resolved, That the first Wednesday in January next, be the day for appointing electors in the several states, which, before the said day, shall have ratified the said constitution; that the first Wednesday in February next, be the day for the electors to assemble in their respective states, and vote for a president; and that the first Wednesday in March next, be the time, and the present seat of Congress (New York) the place for commenc- ing the proceedings under the said constitution. (Journals of Congress, Vol. IV., p. 866— Edition 1823.) "The first Wednesday in March next" was March 4, 1789. "5- First Legislators were Dilatory. "It is of historical interest that neither a quorum of the Senate nor of the House of Representatives appeared in their respective chambers on Wednesday, March 4, 1789. But eight Senators appeared and the minority adjourned from day to day until Monday, April 6, when a quorum of the Senate was first present. In the meantime letters were formulated and addressed to the absent Senators, urging their attendance. A quorum of the House of Representatives appeared on April 1, and that body proceeded at once to the transaction of business. When both Houses were organ- ized, on April 6, they met in joint convention, in the hall of the Senate, and proceeded to open and count the electoral vote for President and Vice President. John Adams, the Vice President elect, appeared in the Senate Chamber and assumed the duties of the chair on Tuesday, April 21; and George Washington, the President elect, took the oath of office required by the Constitution on Thursday, April 30, 1789." In the light of history, thje best that can be said of July 4, 1776, though celebrated and important, is that it was merely the date of the conception of the nation. At that time there was not even a union of the Colonies under the Articles of Confederation. There were simply thirteen independent na- tions banded together solely for the purpose of obtaining free- dom from the "Mother Country" — bound together by no com- pact except that of a common interest. The war of the Revo- lution, finally united them under the document known as the "Articles of Confederation" which was adopted by the repre- sentatives of the Colonies on July 9, 1778. The leaders of the Colonies, however, realized that that instrument, at best, was most hopelessly weak. In so far as a strong and necessary fed- eral or central government was concerned, the colonies, under it, were practically independent nations. Those leaders were intent on a change, i. e., in the establish- ment of a strong central government, and as a result, finally, the Constitutional Convention was called. It convened during the summer and fall of 1788 and prepared during the memor- able time, our Constitution for submission to the Colonies for 230 IMPROVEMENT ERA their consideration and ratification. History records that dur- ing those years there was much doubt about the establishment of a strong central government. There was mighty opposition to that plan and the question hung in the balance until, at times, even the leaders of the movement almost despaired of its accomplishment. The nation was not united, "one and in- divisible," until the Constitution was adopted and thie necessary steps in its establishment carried out. It was only in embryo of formation from the time that it was conceived in the Decla- ration of Independence on the fourth day of July, 1776, until the Congress of the United States, in joint assembly, counted the electoral ballots and declared George Washington elected President, and John Adams, Vice President, of the new nation, on the 6th day of April, 1789, which marks the date of "com- mencing business" under our present Constitution or the real birth of the nation. Why could Congress not have met on the appointed day, viz., March 4, 1789, as the resolution provided? Was it the purpose and design of Providence that this great nation should be born on the 6th day of April, rather than the 4th day of March? It is said "Man proposes, but God disposes." Provo, Utah Teachers Must Come Clean on Tobacco Question By Will H. Brown The sentiment against employing teachers in our public schools who use tobacco is almost reaching the proportions of a tidal wave. In several states teachers who use tobacco are turned down, regardless of how capable they may be. Lorraine E. Wooster, State Superintendent of Schools in Kansas, has issued a drastic order, in part as follows: "No recommendations for school positions will be made for teachers, instructors or superintendents who use tobacco in any form. No state certificates or institute certificates will be issued tobacco users. Schools and colleges which permit the use of tobacco by administrative heads, instructors or pupils, cannot remain on the accredited list. Credits sent to the State Department from normal schools, colleges and universities where the heads of these institutions, faculty members or students use tobacco in any form, will not be ac- cepted for certification." The Board of Education of the State Normal School of Nebraska has adopted a resolution that hereafter instructors in any of the normal schools of the state will be refused leaves of absence to study or attend the Universities of Columbia, Chicago, and Northwestern, "because cigarette smoking is common among women in these institutions." A member of the Board says of the action: "The tobacco evil is so great that it should be utterly discountenanced by every institution that trains teachers.'* The Michigan State Normal School recently dismissed four women students for smoking, not even permitting them to graduate. Oakland, Cal.