This document, done "by the Unanimous Consent of the States present," was sent to the Governor or Legislature of each State with the understanding that its ratification by nine States would be required before it was proclaimed the law of the land.
In his diary for Monday, the seventeenth of September, 1787, Washington makes this entry: Met in Convention, when the Constitution received the unanimous consent of 11 States and Colo.

Hamilton's from New York [the only delegate from thence in Convention], and was subscribed to by every member present, except Governor Randolph and Colo.

Mason from Virginia, & Mr.Gerry from Massachusetts.
The business being thus closed, the members adjourned to the City Tavern, dined together, and took a cordial leave of each other.
After which I returned to my lodgings, did some business with, and received the papers from the Secretary of the Convention, and retired to meditate on the momentous wk.

which had been executed, after not less than five, for a large part of the time six and sometimes 7 hours sitting every day, [except] Sundays & the ten days adjournment to give a Comee.

[Committee] opportunity & time to arrange the business for more than four months.[1] [Footnote 1: Ford, XI, 155.] One likes to think of Washington presiding over that Convention for more than four months, seeing one suggestion after another brought forward and debated until finally disposed of, he saying little except to enforce the rules of parliamentary debate.