James Wilson’s opening speech to the Pennsylvania ratification convention was more than the opening defense of the work of the Constitutional Convention; it was an appeal to something greater. “总的来说，”他指出，“政府是暴力、欺诈和意外的结果.” For the first time in recorded history, “the United States exhibit to the world the first instance, as far as we can learn, of a nation assembling voluntarily, deliberating fully, and deciding calmly, 关于他们希望他们和他们的后代生活在其中的政府制度.”
宪法草案中所体现的“政府体制”与之前的体制不同. The government under the Articles of Confederation was flawed, 无法充分应对欧盟稳定面临的内部或外部威胁. A convention had been called, Wilson continued, “to frame, for the consideration of their constituents, 一部联邦和国家宪法——一部能带来好处的宪法, 防止坏政府带来的不便……一部能确保和平的宪法, freedom, and happiness to the states and people of America.”
This “gentle, peaceful, voluntary, 以及慎重地从一种政体过渡到另一种政体，这正是美国现在向世界展示的,” Wilson posited, “is hitherto unparalleled.” In other parts of the world, 政府的这种革命性变化与战争的思想有关, and all the calamities attendant on wars.但是，美国从一种宪法到另一种宪法的过渡不仅是和平和深思熟虑的, but is founded on the will of the “the people.”
威尔逊将前殖民地所依据的英国宪法进行了比较, 以及美国宪法草案的基本原则. Observing the necessity “in every government, a power from which there is not appeal and may be termed supreme, absolute and uncontrollable,” he noted that in Britain, “the power is lodged in the British Parliament,” the legislative body. 事实上，“英国宪法就是英国议会所喜欢的.美国通过“用宪法来控制立法机关的权力和行为”，改进了“政府的科学和实践”.”
However, Wilson continued, 将最高权力赋予宪法的想法是“一种更接近真理，但还没有达到真理的观点”. The truth is, that in our governments, the supreme, absolute, and uncontrollable power remains in the people. As our constitutions are superior to our legislatures, 所以人民凌驾于我们的宪法之上……结果就是人民可以随时随地随心所欲地修改宪法.” This is the uniqueness of the Constitution.
这种崇高的感情和对人民主权的呼吁对约翰·斯迈利没有什么影响, William Findley, Robert Whitehill, and other Anti-federalist members of the ratifying convention. In direct response to Wilson, Smilie shot back. ”“当宣布‘我们美国人民制定并制定本宪法’时,这并不是一个巩固政府的基础，因为它明显地颠覆了组成国家联盟的原则, 除了联邦的特定目标，哪些是主权和独立的?” It is reasonable, he claimed, 假设“这个体系的缔造者在考虑吸收和废除几个国家.建立新政府的基础是“人民的原始权力，而不是各州的联合”，这就证明了这一点,” he insisted.
宾夕法尼亚州批准大会上的辩论以及双方在报纸上的辩论一直持续到12月中旬. 然而，公约本身的记录是分散的，不完整的，而且经常是不一致的. 这一记录更加不透明，因为大会否决了怀特希尔提出的允许代表进入白宫的动议 Journal their reasons for voting to ratify or reject the Constitution.
托马斯·劳埃德要求担任大会助理书记的申请被宣读，但被推迟. Nevertheless, Lloyd, a London-born teacher and stenographer, 利用他的速记技巧记录和发表大会辩论. However, his pro-Constitution position was well-known. 虽然他录下了双方的演讲，但当他发表他的 Debates of the Convention of the State of Pennsylvania in February 1788, 只有支持宪法的詹姆斯·威尔逊和托马斯·麦基恩发表了演讲. Rumors circulated that he had taken bribes to present only one side, 但他的名声完好无损，根据新宪法，他将被任命为众议院第二届会议的正式记录员. His notes were considered to be extremely accurate.
Later called “the Father of American Shorthand,” Lloyd returned to England in 1791 to visit family, 但由于他的经纪人未能履行出版协议，他被关进了债务人的监狱. After criticizing the prison in his diary, Lloyd was convicted for libel against the British government. Finally freed in 1796, 他回到美国教书，并出版了他自己的速记记录. However, 与宾夕法尼亚州批准公约有关的出版争议并没有因为劳埃德而结束.
Jamaican-born attorney Alexander James Dallas was editor of the Pennsylvania Herald, founded by Mathew Carey only two years before the convention. 直到11月下旬，将近100名联邦党人取消了订阅，《博彩平台网址大全》才忠实地出版了双方辩论的报纸, resulting in Dallas’s dismissal as editor in February 1788. Unlike Lloyd, Dallas’s career soared. He became the first reporter of the new Supreme Court, Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Secretary of the US Treasury, and acting Secretary of War and State under President James Madison. 他的儿子乔治·米夫林·达拉斯将成为詹姆斯·K·肯尼迪政府的外交官和副总统. Polk in March 1845.