PRINTER'S NO. 4323
No. 870 Session of 2008
INTRODUCED BY D. O'BRIEN, BEYER, BISHOP, BOYD, BRENNAN, BROOKS,
CALTAGIRONE, CAPPELLI, COHEN, COSTA, CREIGHTON, CURRY,
CUTLER, DALEY, DENLINGER, DiGIROLAMO, DONATUCCI, FABRIZIO,
FAIRCHILD, FLECK, FRANKEL, GEIST, GEORGE, GIBBONS, GINGRICH,
GOODMAN, GRELL, GRUCELA, HARHAI, HARHART, HARKINS, HARPER,
HELM, HENNESSEY, HERSHEY, HESS, HICKERNELL, HUTCHINSON,
JAMES, KAUFFMAN, KORTZ, MAJOR, MANDERINO, MANN, MANTZ,
McCALL, McGEEHAN, MELIO, MILLARD, R. MILLER, MOUL, MUNDY,
MUSTIO, NAILOR, M. O'BRIEN, PALLONE, PAYNE, PETRI, PHILLIPS,
QUINN, RAPP, READSHAW, REICHLEY, ROCK, ROHRER, SAINATO,
SAMUELSON, SANTONI, SAYLOR, SCAVELLO, SIPTROTH, SONNEY,
STABACK, STEIL, STERN, SURRA, SWANGER, R. TAYLOR, VULAKOVICH,
WALKO, WATSON, WOJNAROSKI AND YUDICHAK, SEPTEMBER 16, 2008
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
SEPTEMBER 16, 2008
A RESOLUTION
1 Recognizing September 17, 2008, as "Constitution Day" in
2 Pennsylvania and urging all citizens to reflect on the
3 historic role Pennsylvania played in the drafting of our
4 founding documents.
5 WHEREAS, The provincial legislature of Pennsylvania began to
6 compile a collection of books and maps for use by its members in
7 1745; and
8 WHEREAS, This collection, dutifully purchased by Benjamin
9 Franklin, the clerk of the House of Representatives, formed the
10 foundation of what is now the State Library of Pennsylvania; and
11 WHEREAS, Regarded as the finest library in the American
12 colonies, the collection was made available to the members of
13 the Continental Congress, which met in Philadelphia at the old
1 State House, now known as Independence Hall; and
2 WHEREAS, Among the works were volumes containing the works of
3 English philosopher John Locke, whose influence pervades the
4 Declaration of Independence and who inspired Thomas Jefferson to
5 write the phrase "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness";
6 and
7 WHEREAS, On this date in 1777, the legislature ordered that
8 the collection be moved to Easton for safekeeping, as both the
9 Continental Congress and the Pennsylvania Legislature were
10 forced to flee Philadelphia from the approaching British army;
11 and
12 WHEREAS, The General Assembly Collection was eventually
13 returned to the old State House in Philadelphia and was relied
14 upon by members of the Constitutional Convention of 1787 to
15 draft the Constitution of the United States; and
16 WHEREAS, It is the privilege and duty of all Pennsylvanians
17 to commemorate the 221st anniversary of the Constitution of the
18 United States and the crucial role the General Assembly
19 Collection played in its drafting; and
20 WHEREAS, The General Assembly Collection is a unique piece of
21 heritage valued by Pennsylvanians, and indeed all Americans,
22 which deserves our continued protection and support; and
23 WHEREAS, It is fitting to acknowledge and celebrate the
24 history and foundation of the Constitution of the United States;
25 therefore be it
26 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize
27 September 17, 2008, as "Constitution Day" in Pennsylvania and
28 urge all citizens to reflect on the historic role Pennsylvania
29 has played in drafting our founding documents.
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