I was horribly confused, but now I understand. It's a historical thing.
Governor Morris who wrote large parts of the Constitution, and is said to have written the preamble also wrote the following letter to Thomas Penn in 1774. He's following this plan. It makes perfect sense now.
Dear Sir,
You have heard, and you will hear, a great deal about politics, and in the heap of chaff may find some grains of good sense. Believe me, Sir, freedom and religion are only watch words. We have appointed a Committee, or rather we have nominated one. Let me give you the history of it. It is needless to premise, that the lower orders of mankind are more easily led by specious appearances, than those of a more exalted station. This and many similar propositions you know better than your humble servant.>>snip<<
I stood in the balcony, and on my right hand were ranged all the people of property, with some few poor dependents, and on the other all the tradesmen, who thought it worth their while to leave daily labor for the good of the country. The spirit of the English Constitution has yet a little influence left, and but a little. The remains of it, however, will give the wealthy people a superiority this time, but would they secure it, they must banish all schoolmasters, and confine all knowledge to themselves. This cannot be. The mob begin to think and to reason.
Poor reptiles! it is with them a vernal morning, they are struggling to cast off their winter's slough, they bask in the sunshine, and ere noon they will bite, depend upon it. The gentry begin to fear this. Their committee will be appointed, they will deceive the people, and again forfeit a share of their confidence. And if these instances of what with one side is policy, with the other perfidy, shall continue to increase, and become more frequent, farewell aristocracy. I see, and I see it with fear and trembling, that if the disputes with Britain continue, we shall be under the worst of all possible dominions. We shall be under the domination of a riotous mob.
>>snip<<
The whole letter is here:
http://chss.montclair.edu/english/furr/spl/morristopenn.htmlThere is a book on him from 1832, with letters such as this, available here:
http://www.archive.org/details/lifeofgouverneur01sparuoft Should be a really interesting read.
You certainly can trace power and money right back to the founding of this nation. They felt they had to maintain that power and, as the old saying goes, "the best way to control the opposition is to lead it ourselves." Has he been knighted, are there truly "new" gentry, or is he just carrying water for the old? And shouldn't they be gearing up guileful leaders to control the oncoming uprising rather than mockingly pontificating about the old?