1787.
1787. Prepares the "Virginia plan" in conjunction with the
May 6-25. Virginia delegates.
May 14. Attends the first gathering of the delegates.
May 30. Moves postponement of question of representation by free
population.
Moves that congressional representation be proportioned
to the importance and size of the States.
Makes his first speech on this subject.
May 31. Advocates representation in one house by popular
election.
Opposes uniting several States into one district for
representation in Senate.
Doubts practicability of enumerating powers of national
legislature.
Suggests the impossibility of using force to coerce
individual States.
June 1. Moves that the powers of the Executive be enumerated.
June 2. Objects to giving Congress power to remove the President
upon demand of a majority of the State legislatures.
June 4. Favors giving power to more than a majority of the
national legislature to overrule an Executive negative
of a law.
June 5. Opposes election of judges by both branches of Congress.
Advocates submission of constitution to conventions of
the people.
Favors inferior judicial tribunals.
June 6. Speaks for popular representation in the House.
Seconds motion to include a portion of the Judiciary
with the Executive in revisionary power over laws.
June 7. Speaks for proportional representation in both houses
of Congress.
June 8. Seconds motion to give Congress power to negative State
laws.
Suggests temporary operation of urgent laws.
June 12. Seconds motion to make term of Representatives three
years.
Thinks the people will follow the convention.
Favors a term of seven years for Senators.
June 13. Moves defining powers of Judiciary.
Objects to appointment of judges by whole legislature.
Thinks both houses should have right to originate money
bills.
Advocates a national government and opposes the "Jersey
plan."
June 21. Speaks in favor of national supremacy.
Opposes annual or biennial elections of Representatives.
June 22. Favors fixing payment of salaries by a standard.
June 23. Proposes to debar Senators from offices created or
enhanced during their term.
Speaks for the proposition.
June 25. Wishes to take up question of right of suffrage.
June 26. Speaks for a long term for Senators.
Opposes their payment by the States.
June 28. Speaks for proportional representation.
June 29. Insists that too much stress is laid on State
sovereignty.
June 30. Contends against equal State representation in the
Senate.
Speaks again on subject, but would preserve State
rights.
July 2. Opposes submission of the question to a special
committee.
July 5. Opposes compromise report of committee.
July 6. Thinks part of report need not be postponed.
July 7. Thinks question of representation ought to be settled
before other questions.
July 9. Suggests free inhabitants as basis of representation in
one house, and all inhabitants as basis in the other
house.
July 10. Moves increase of Representatives.
July 11. Favors representation based on population.
July 14. Urges proportional representation as necessary to
protect the smaller States.
July 17. Advocates national power of negative over State laws.
Thinks the branches of government should be kept
separate.
Thinks monarchy likely to follow instability.
Thinks there should be provision for interregnum between
adoption and operation of constitution.
Moves national guarantee of States against domestic
violence.
July 18. Seconds motion forbidding a State to form any but a
republican government.
JOURNAL OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL
CONVENTION OF 1787.
Monday May 14^{th} 1787 was the day fixed for the meeting of the
deputies in Convention for revising the federal System of Government. On
that day a small number only had assembled. Seven States were not
convened till,
Friday 25 of May, when the following members appeared to wit:
From _Massachusetts_, Rufus King. _N. York_, Robert Yates,[8] Alex^r
Hamilton. _N. Jersey_, David Brearly, William Churchill Houston, William
Patterson. _Pennsylvania_, Robert Morris, Thomas Fitzsimons, James
Wilson, Governeur Morris. _Delaware_, George Read, Richard Basset,[9]
Jacob Broome. _Virginia_, George Washington, Edmund Randolph, John
Blair,[10] James Madison, George Mason, George Wythe, James McClurg. _N.
Carolina_, Alexander Martin, William Richardson Davie, Richard Dobbs
Spaight, Hugh Williamson. _S. Carolina_, John Rutlidge, Charles
Cotesworth Pinckney, Charles Pinckney, Pierce Butler. _Georgia_, William
Few.[11]
[8] William Pierce, delegate from Georgia, made an estimate
of each member of the convention, the only contemporary
estimate thus far brought to light. Yates did not speak in
the Convention.
"M^r Yates is said to be an able Judge. He is a Man of great
legal abilities, but not distinguished as an Orator. Some of
his Enemies say he is an anti-federal Man, but I discovered
no such disposition in him. He is about 45 years old, and
enjoys a great share of health."--Pierce's Notes, _Am. Hist.
Rev._, iii., 327. For more about Pierce's Notes, see p.
45, n.
[9] "M^r Bassett is a religious enthusiast, lately turned
Methodist, and serves his Country because it is the will of
the people that he should do so. He is a Man of plain sense,
and has modesty enough to hold his Tongue. He is Gentlemanly
Man and is in high estimation among the Methodists. Mr.
Bassett is about 36 years old."--Pierce's Notes, _Id._,
iii., 330. He did not speak in the Convention.
[10] "Mr. Blair is one of the most respectable Men in Virginia,
both on account of his Family as well as fortune. He is one
of the Judges of the Supreme Court in Virginia, and
acknowledged to have a very extensive knowledge of the Laws.
M^r Blair is however, no Orator, but his good sense,
and most excellent principles, compensate for other
deficiencies. He is about 50 years of age."--Pierce's Notes,
_Am. Hist. Rev._, iii., 331. He did not speak in the
Convention.
[11] "M^r Few possesses a strong natural Genius, and from
application has acquired some knowledge of legal
matters;--he practises at the bar of Georgia, and speaks
tolerably well in the Legislature. He has been twice a
Member of Congress, and served in that capacity with
fidelity to his State, and honor to himself. Mr. Few is
about 35 years of age."--Pierce's Notes, _Id._, iii., 333.
He did not speak in the Convention.
The credentials of Connecticut and Maryland required but one
deputy to represent the state; of New York, South Carolina,
Georgia, and New Hampshire, two deputies; of Massachusetts,
New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia, and North Carolina, three;
of Pennsylvania, four.--_Journal of the Federal Convention_,
16 _et seq._; _Documentary History of the Constitution_, i.,
10 _et seq._
M^r Robert Morris[12] informed the members assembled that by the
instruction & in behalf, of the deputation of Pen^a he proposed George
Washington, Esq^r late Commander in chief for president of the
Convention. M^r Jn^o Rutlidge seconded the motion; expressing his
confidence that the choice would be unanimous, and observing that the
presence of Gen^l Washington forbade any observations on the occasion
which might otherwise be proper.
[12] "Robert Morris is a merchant of great eminence and wealth;
an able Financier, and a worthy Patriot. He has an
understanding equal to any public object, and possesses an
energy of mind that few Men can boast of. Although he is not
learned, yet he is as great as those who are. I am told that
when he speaks in the Assembly of Pennsylvania, that he
bears down all before him. What could have been his reason
for not Speaking in the Convention I know not,--but he never
once spoke on any point. This Gentleman is about 50 years
old."--Pierce's Notes, _Am. Hist: Rev._, iii., 328.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
General Washington[13] was accordingly unanimously elected by ballot,
and conducted to the Chair by M^r R. Morris and M^r Rutlidge; from
which in a very emphatic manner he thanked the Convention for the
honor they had conferred on him, reminded them of the novelty of the
scene of business in which he was to act, lamented his want of better
qualifications, and claimed the indulgence of the House towards the
involuntary errors which his inexperience might occasion.
[13] "Gen^l Washington is well known as the Commander in chief
of the late American Army. Having conducted these States to
independence and peace, he now appears to assist in framing
a Government to make the People happy. Like Gustavus Vasa,
he may be said to be the deliverer of his Country;--like
Peter the great he appears as the politician and the
States-man; and like Cincinnatus he returned to his farm
perfectly contented with being only a plain Citizen, after
enjoying the highest honor of the confederacy,--and now only
seeks for the approbation of his Country-men by being
virtuous and useful. The General was conducted to the Chair
as President of the Convention by the unanimous voice of its
Members. He is in the 52^d year of his age."--Pierce's
Notes, _Am. Hist. Rev._, iii., 331.
(The nomination came with particular grace from Pe[~nn]a, as Doc^r
Franklin alone could have been thought of as a competitor. The Doc^r was
himself to have made the nomination of General Washington, but the state
of the weather and of his health confined him to his house.)
M^r Wilson[14] moved that a Secretary be appointed, and nominated M^r
Temple Franklin.
[14] "Mr. Wilson ranks among the foremost in legal and political
knowledge. He has joined to a fine genius all that can set
him off and show him to advantage. He is well acquainted
with Man, and understands all the passions that influence
him. Government seems to have been his peculiar Study, all
the political institutions of the World he knows in detail,
and can trace the causes and effects of every revolution
from the earliest stages of the Greecian commonwealth down
to the present time. No man is more clear, copious, and
comprehensive than Mr. Wilson, yet he is no great Orator. He
draws the attention not by the charm of his eloquence, but
by the force of his reasoning. He is about 45 years
old."--Pierce's Notes, _Am. Hist. Rev._, iii., 329.
Col Hamilton[15] nominated Major Jackson.
[15] "Col^o Hamilton is deservedly celebrated for his talents.
He is a practitioner of the Law, and reputed to be a
finished Scholar. To a clear and strong judgment he unites
the ornaments of fancy, and whilst he is able, convincing,
and engaging in his eloquence the Heart and Head sympathize
in approving him. Yet there is something too feeble in his
voice to be equal to the strains of oratory;--it is my
opinion he is rather a convincing Speaker, that [than] a
blazing Orator. Col^o Hamilton requires time to think,--he
enquires into every part of his subject with the searchings
of phylosophy, and when he comes forward he comes highly
charged with interesting matter, there is no skimming over
the surface of a subject with him, he must sink to the
bottom to see what foundation it rests on.--His language is
not always equal, sometimes didactic like Bolingbroke's, at
others light and tripping like Stern's. His eloquence is not
so defusive as to trifle with the senses, but he rambles
just enough to strike and keep up the attention. He is about
33 years old, of small stature, and lean. His manners are
tinctured with stiffness, and sometimes with a degree of
vanity that is highly disagreable."--Pierce's Notes, _Id._,
iii., 327.
On the ballot Maj^r Jackson had 5 votes & M^r Franklin 2 votes.
On reading the credentials of the deputies it was noticed that those
from Delaware were prohibited from changing the Article in the
Confederation establishing an equality of votes among the States.[16]
[16] "... So also and Provided, that such Alterations or
further Provisions, or any of them, do not extend to that
part of the Fifth Article of the Confederation of the said
States, finally ratified on the first day March, in the Year
One thousand seven hundred and eighty one, which declares
that 'In determining Questions in the United States in
Congress Assembled each State shall have one
Vote.'"--_Documentary History of the Constitution_ (Dept. of
State), i., 24.
The appointment of a Committee, consisting of Mess^{rs} Wythe, Hamilton
& C. Pinckney, on the motion of Mr. Pinckney, to prepare standing rules
& orders was the only remaining step taken on this day.