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SPEECH DELIVERED BY UNITED STATES SENATOR HARRY S. TRUMAN OF MISSOURI AT LIBERTY, MISSOURI, OCTOBER 11, 1937 It is a very great privilege to appear before the Clay County Historical Society to talk to you a little while about the Constitution. We cannot know too much about it, or talk too much about it, yet it is a very simple, very flexible document. It was written by a very remarkable gathering of men, at Phila- delphia in 1787. Tne country then consisted of thirteen independent States, with a population of about 4,000,000 people. The largest city in the country was Philadelphia with 42,000 people. New York had 33,000; Boston, 18,000; Charleston, South Cerolina, 16,000; and Richmond, 3,700. The framers of the Constitution couldn't possibly have forseen a nation of 130,000,000 of people, extending from the Atlantic to the Pacific and from Cenada to the Gulf, yet the instrument of Government which they drew, is as good today as when it was drawn. The reason--simplicity and flexibility. The Preamble is a masterpiece. (Reed the Preamble) itWe the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America". "Wo the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union". We the people, not the States, not the rulers, but every man, woman and child in the thirteen independ- ent Republics, making up the Confederation which had won its independence from the tyrant. "Establish justice". Your rights protected from encroach- ment by your neighbor and your Government -- local, state and AUTIONAL ARCHIVES A RECORDS ADMING Ks