The Great Debate That Made the U.S. Constitution. Madison James
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 14th 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,1 Alex Hamilton. N. Jersey, David Brearly, William Churchill Houston, William Patterson. Pennsylvania, Robert Morris, Thomas Fitzsimons, James Wilson, Governeur Morris. Delaware, George Read, Richard Basset,2 Jacob Broome. Virginia, George Washington, Edmund Randolph, John Blair,3 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.4
Mr. Robert Morris5 informed the members assembled that by the instruction & in behalf, of the deputation of Pennsylvania he proposed George Washington,Esquire late Commander in chief for president of the Convention. Mr. John Rutlidge seconded the motion; expressing his confidence that the choice would be unanimous, and observing that the presence of General Washington forbade any observations on the occasion which might otherwise be proper.
General Washington6 was accordingly unanimously elected by ballot, and conducted to the Chair by Mr. R. Morris and Mr. 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.
(The nomination came with particular grace from Pennsylvania, as Doctor Franklin alone could have been thought of as a competitor. The Doctor 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.)
Mr. Wilson7 moved that a Secretary be appointed, and nominated Mr. Temple Franklin.
Col Hamilton8 nominated Major Jackson.
On the ballot Major Jackson had 5 votes & Mr. 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.9
The appointment of a Committee, consisting of Messrs. Wythe, Hamilton & C. Pinckney, on the motion of Mr. Pinckney, to prepare standing rules & orders was the only remaining step taken on this day.
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.
"Mr. 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.
2 "Mr. 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