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As a constructive statesman Wilson had no superior in the Federal Convention of 1787. He favoured the independence of the executive, legislative and judicial departments, the supremacy of the Federal government over the state governments, and the election of senators as well as representatives by the people, and was opposed to the election of the President or the judges by Congress. His political philosophy was based upon implicit confidence in the people, and he strove for such provisions as he thought would best guarantee a government by the people. When the constitution had been framed Wilson pronounced it “the best form of government which has ever been offered to the world,” and he, at least, among the framers regarded it not as a compact but as an ordinance to be established by the people.

As a constructive statesman Wilson had no superior in the Federal Convention of 1787. He favoured the independence of the executive, legislative and judicial departments, the supremacy of the Federal government over the state governments, and the election of senators as well as representatives by the people, and was opposed to the election of the President or the judges by Congress. His political philosophy was based upon implicit confidence in the people, and he strove for such provisions as he thought would best guarantee a government by the people. When the constitution had been framed Wilson pronounced it “the best form of government which has ever been offered to the world,” and he, at least, among the framers regarded it not as a compact but as an ordinance to be established by the people.

During the struggle for ratification he made a speech before a mass meeting in Philadelphia which has been characterized as “the ablest single presentation of the whole subject.” In the Pennsylvania ratification convention (November 21 to December 15, 1787) he was the constitution's principal defender. Having been appointed professor of law in the university of Pennsylvania in 1790, he delivered at that institution in 1790– 1791 a course of lectures on public and private law; some of these lectures, together with his speeches in the Federal convention, before the mass meeting in Philadelphia, and in the Pennsylvania ratification convention, are among the most valuable commentaries on the constitution. Wilson was a delegate to the state constitutional convention of 1789-1790, and a member of the committee which drafted the new constitution.

During the struggle for ratification he made a speech before a mass meeting in Philadelphia which has been characterized as “the ablest single presentation of the whole subject.”

 

 

In the Pennsylvania ratification convention (November 21 to December 15, 1787) he was the constitution's principal defender. Having been appointed professor of law in the university of Pennsylvania in 1790, he delivered at that institution in 1790– 1791 a course of lectures on public and private law; some of these lectures, together with his speeches in the Federal convention, before the mass meeting in Philadelphia, and in the Pennsylvania ratification convention, are among the most valuable commentaries on the constitution. Wilson was a delegate to the state constitutional convention of 1789-1790, and a member of the committee which drafted the new constitution.

James Wilson was also the only member of the Pennsylvania Ratifying Convention who had a seat at the Federal Convention.  He declared the following in his summation at the Pennsylvania Ratifying Convention:<ref>James Wilson, Summation Address to the Pennsylvania Ratifying Convention (Dec. 11, 1787), reprinted in The Debate On The Constitution – Federalist and Antifederalist Speeches, Articles, and Letters During The Struggle Over Ratification 865-66 (Gryphon Eds. 1993) (emphasis added).</ref>

James Wilson was also the only member of the Pennsylvania Ratifying Convention who had a seat at the Federal Convention.  He declared the following in his summation at the Pennsylvania Ratifying Convention:<ref>James Wilson, Summation Address to the Pennsylvania Ratifying Convention (Dec. 11, 1787), reprinted in The Debate On The Constitution – Federalist and Antifederalist Speeches, Articles, and Letters During The Struggle Over Ratification 865-66 (Gryphon Eds. 1993) (emphasis added).</ref>