ROCKINGHAM — Bells rang out on the steps of the old Richmond County courthouse at 4 p.m. Wednesday in recognition of the signing of the U.S. Constitution.
According to the Daughters of the American Revolution, the time signifies the ringing of the church bells in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, when the Constitution was signed on Sept. 17, 1787.
The DAR petitioned Congress in 1955 to recognize Sept. 17-23 as Constitution Week, and the resolution was adopted and signed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower the following year.
Richmond County’s bell-ringing ceremony was organized by the General Henry William Harrington Chapter of the DAR and featured short speeches by Sheriff Mark Gulledge and Rockingham Mayor John Hutchinson.
“Constitution Day serves as a powerful reminder of the fundamental principles that shape our democracy,” Gulledge said, adding that the day inspires U.S. citizens to “embrace their rights and responsibilities.”
“I’m glad we could come together to … deepen our commitment to the values enshrined in this enduring document,” Gulledge said, before closing with a quote from former president Ronald Reagan:
“All those other constitutions in the world are documents in which the government tells the people what they can do. And our Constitution is one in which we the people tell the Government what it can do, and it can do nothing other than what is prescribed in that document.”
Rockingham Mayor John Hutchinson speaks about the Constitution during a small ceremony on Sept. 17.
William R. Toler - Richmond Observer
Hutchinson — who was filling in for his wife and DAR member Sharon Hutchinson — spoke about how the United States’ founders, following the war for independence, struggled with the challenge of creating a government “strong enough to hold a nation together, yet limited enough to protect the freedom of its people.”
“What they produced was extraordinary — a framework of government built on principles of liberty, justice and the rule of law,” Hutchinson said. “The Constitution divides the powers among three different branches of government and establishes a system of checks and balances to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.
“Just as important, it declares the ultimate authority rests with ‘We the People’,” he continued, noting that the document has been amended 27 times since its signing — including the Bill of Rights and extended voting rights.
“These changes remind us that the Constitution is both stable and adaptable — a living document that grows as our nation grows,” Hutchinson added. “The Constitution is more than words on parchment, it is the foundation of our civic life, the safeguard of our liberties and a reminder that government only endures with the active participation of the people.
“As we mark Constitution Week, may we not only honor the past, but also commit ourselves to protecting the freedoms and responsibilities that come with being an American.”
The local DAR chapter has set up several displays around the county in recognition of Constitution Week, and obtained proclamations from municipal governments.
