Regardless of how limited this particular scope lie within colonial society, it set a new precedent for a new form of virtue.
The debate over which type of virtue prevailed within the Continental Congress for four years; it seemed as if the classical virtue was diminishing. The notion of classical virtue involved adherence to social norms that were streamlined with an aristocratic government and monarchy. Even Richard Henry
Lee conceded that liberal virtues "Provided America as free and happy, I am not solicitous about the agents that accomplish it.'[83] the agents Lee refers to were the opportunistic characters to used market conditions to their advantage. Lee formed a partnership with Robert Morris when it came to sealing a tobacco deal for the French, by Virginia planters. They were part of the increasing number of people who had the ability to couple self-interest with republican virtue.
While the shift of liberal virtue was taking place, many colonial citizens were aware that certain delegates were becoming wealthy at their expense. Even though, citizens gravitated toward a virtue that promoted self-interest, they publicly decried the blatant profiteering in which several merchants partook, particularly delegates in positions of power.
In conclusion, the pursuit of commercial success of an individual person, also had the ulterior motive and resulting consequence of benefiting their community. Once a man's desire to profit in the free market was enough to deny him any potential of a community leadership role because of classical virtues, they could now enter and service their state to further their own agenda, while helping out citizens of their community. In the modern era, the prevalent...
The Constitution is the fundamental foundation for which our society is based upon. Lastly, there still remained conflict, because these delegates who drafted the Constitution also had their best interests at heart; not necessarily those of Americans.
Endnotes
4] Gordon Wood, the Radicalism of the American Revolution (New York: A. Knopf Press, 1993), 229
5] Ibid., 10.
8] Joyce Appleby, Capitalism and a New Social Order (New York: New York University Press, 1984), 9.
[10] Appleby, 10.
[11] Ibid., IX, 10.
[44] Richard Henry Lee to Patrick Henry, May 26, 1777, Letters of the Continental Congress, vol. 7, 122.
[45] Since Lee's tenant farmers paid him in currency, the same money that was printed to encourage colonial trade also led to a reduction in the real value of his income from the rent.
[46] Ibid.
[47] Letter from the Secret Committee to Robert Morris, January 13, 1777, Letters of the Continental Congress, vol. 6, 93.
[48] Richard Henry Lee to Landon Carter, June 2, 1776, Letters to the Continental Congress, vol. 4, 118.
[49] Richard Henry Lee to Robert Morris, December 24, 1776, Letters of the Continental Congress, vol. 5, 657.
[83] Richard Henry Lee to Patrick Henry, May 26, 1777, Letters of the Continental…
