[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 29, Number 37 (Monday, September 20, 1993)]
[Pages 1806-1807]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Proclamation 6593--Citizenship Day and Constitution Week, 1993

 September 17, 1993.

By the President of the United States

of America

A Proclamation

    September 17, 1787, is one of the most important, yet ironically one 
of the least known, dates in American history. On that day the delegates 
to the Philadelphia Convention completed their work by signing and 
reporting to the Continental Congress their proposed Constitution of the 
United States. Despite the enormous growth of our Nation in terms of 
population, industry, culture, and technology since 1787, the document 
drafted by 55 patriots during that summer in Philadelphia remains the 
fundamental law of our land.
    Chief Justice Marshall wrote that the Constitution was ``designed to 
approach immortality as nearly as human institutions can approach it.'' 
Our Constitution is by far the oldest written framework for government 
in existence. The extraordinary longevity of the Constitution suggests 
that the British statesman William Gladstone was not exaggerating when 
he described our Constitution as ``the most wonderful work ever struck 
off at a given time by the brain and purpose of man.''
    The Constitution's endurance is, or course, a tribute to the wisdom 
and statesmanship of the Framers. But it is also a tribute to our 
continuing commitment to the fundamental precept of constitutionalism. 
The Constitution has served us well, but the same document, if given to 
a people without an appreciation of and a commitment to the rule of law, 
would be worse than useless. Thus, as we mark the 206th anniversary of 
the signing of the Constitution, we celebrate not only the genius of the 
Founders, but also the fidelity of our people to the principles embodied 
in the Constitution.
    If we are to maintain that commitment to government under law, we 
need to read and study the Constitution. Only by becoming familiar with 
its provisions can we understand and truly appreciate the Constitution's 
principles. Among the groups of Americans that have demonstrated their 
familiarity with the Constitution are naturalized Americans. As part of 
the naturalization process, persons seeking citizenship must pass an 
examination on the principles of American Government. That hundreds of 
thousands of people come to this country every year with the dream of 
becoming American citizens eloquently attests to the success of the 
venture in self-government launched by our Constitution. It is the duty 
of all Americans to understand this document and the rights and 
responsibilities it conveys.
    In commemoration of the signing of the Constitution, and in 
recognition of all those who as citizens of this Republic share the 
responsibility for preserving and protecting our constitutional 
heritage, the Congress has designated September 17, 1993, as 
``Citizenship Day'' and the week beginning September 17, 1993, as 
``Constitution Week.''

[[Page 1807]]

    Now, Therefore, I, William J. Clinton, President of the United 
States of America, do hereby proclaim September 17, 1993, as 
``Citizenship Day'' and the week beginning September 17, 1993, as 
``Constitution Week.'' I call upon the people of the United States to 
observe these occasions with appropriate ceremonies and activities, and 
I urge them to devote themselves to the study and discussion of the 
Constitution.
    I further call upon the officials of the Government to display the 
flag of the United States on all Government buildings on September 17, 
1993, in honor of Citizenship Day.
    In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this seventeenth day 
of September, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-three, 
and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred 
and eighteenth.
                                            William J. Clinton

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 10:10 a.m., September 
20, 1993]

Note: This proclamation was published in the Federal Register on 
September 21.