<P> The final document, engrossed by Jacob Shallus, was taken up on Monday, September 17, at the Convention's final session . Several of the delegates were disappointed in the result, a makeshift series of unfortunate compromises . Some delegates left before the ceremony, and three others refused to sign . Of the thirty - nine signers, Benjamin Franklin summed up, addressing the Convention: "There are several parts of this Constitution which I do not at present approve, but I am not sure I shall never approve them ." He would accept the Constitution, "because I expect no better and because I am not sure that it is not the best". </P> <P> The advocates of the Constitution were anxious to obtain unanimous support of all twelve states represented in the Convention . Their accepted formula for the closing endorsement was "Done in Convention, by the unanimous consent of the States present ." At the end of the convention, the proposal was agreed to by eleven state delegations and the lone remaining delegate from New York, Alexander Hamilton . </P> <P> Transmitted to the Congress of the Confederation, then sitting in New York City, it was within the power of Congress to expedite or block ratification of the proposed Constitution . The new frame of government that the Philadelphia Convention presented was technically only a revision of the Articles of Confederation . After several days of debate, Congress voted to transmit the document to the thirteen states for ratification according to the process outlined in its Article VII . Each state legislature was to call elections for a "Federal Convention" to ratify the new Constitution, rather than consider ratification itself; a departure from the standard constitutional practice at that time, designed to expanded the franchise in order to more nearly embrace "the people". The frame of government itself was to go into force among the States so acting upon the approval of nine (i.e. two - thirds of the 13) states; also a departure from constitutional practice, as the Articles of Confederation could only be amended by unanimous vote of all the states . </P> <P> Three members of the Convention--Madison, Gorham, and King--were also Members of Congress . They proceeded at once to New York, where Congress was in session, to placate the expected opposition . Aware of their vanishing authority, Congress, on September 28, after some debate, resolved unanimously to submit the Constitution to the States for action, "in conformity to the resolves of the Convention", but with no recommendation either for or against its adoption . </P>

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