I'm not sure you and I are looking at the same thing...

The NY Times reported today on a letter from George Washington that was found in the scrap book of a girl from the early 19th century. One of Washington's lines in that letter is as follows:

“The happiness of this Country depend much upon the deliberations of the federal Convention which is now sitting. It, however, can only lay the foundation — the community at large must raise the edifice.”

About that line, Ann Althouse had the following to say:

Very nice. The words evoke the notion of a living Constitution.

Only if that's what you really, really want them to evoke, Ann. Foundations tend not to be very malleable, nor do edifices change much once built. It seems much more likely Washington was talking about the community building a nation of itself upon the firm foundation the constitution. But if I have a few more beers and tilt my glasses just so, I guess I can see it.