Pratt was appointed to a committee of the Council of Fifty in March 1844 to “draft a constitution which should be perfect, and embrace those principles which the constitution of the United States lacked.” After struggling to draft the document, the committee presented a portion of it in the 18 April 1844 council meeting, after which the council voted to give the committee more time to complete the draft. However, in the 25 April 1844 council meeting, JS advised the committee to “let the constitution alone. He would tell us the whole matter about the constitution as follows— Verily thus saith the Lord, ye are my constitution, and I am your God, and ye are my spokesmen. From henceforth do as I shall command you. Saith the Lord.” The council accepted the constitution by unanimous vote. (Council of Fifty, “Record,” 19 Mar. 1844; 18 and 25 Apr. 1844.)