would alone remain as the measure of representation, would not answer; because waving every other view of the matter, the revenue might hereafter be so collected by the general Gov! that the sums respectively drawn from the States would A appear; and would besides be continually varying. equality of not ["M: M. admitted the propriety of the observation, and at length proposed to get over the difficulty, by substituting in place of the whole clause, the following, to wit: "that the ['rule' stricken out] of suffrage established by the articles of Confederation ought not to prevail in the National legislature; and that an equitable ratio of representation ought to be substituted." This was generally acceptable. Λ seconded by Mr. Gov'. Morris & seemed ['Dela' stricken out] and would have been agreed to when" stricken out] rule [The passages be- Mr. Madison admitted the propriety of the observation, and that some better A ["alternative" ginning with the stricken out] ought to be found. words," Mr. Madison Col. Hamilton moved to alter the resolution so as to read "that the rights of suffrage in the admitted the pro-national Legislature ought to be proportioned to the number of free inhabitants. Mr. Spaight zded ̧ priety", and ending the motion. with the words, "would have been agreed to; when,", are contained on a piece of paper which was pasted over the paragraph: "Mr. M. admitted the propri It was then moved that the Resolution be postponed, which was agreed to. Mr. Randolph and Mr. Madison then moved the following resolution-"that the rights of suffrage in the national Legislature ought to be proportioned" It was moved and 2ded, to amend it by adding "and not according to the present system"-which was agreed to. It was then moved and 2ded, to alter the resolution so as to read "that the rights of suffrage in the national Legislature ought not to be according to the present system." It was then moved & 2ded, to postpone the Resolution moved by Mr. Randolph & Mr. Madison, ety of the observa- which being agreed to; tion, and at length Mr. Madison, moved, in order to get over the difficulties, the following resolution-"that the proposed", &c., equality of suffrage established by the articles of Confederation ought not to prevail in the national which had been first Legislature, and that an equitable ratio of representation ought to be substituted" This was 2ded stricken out.] by Mr. Gov. Morris, and being generally relished, would have been agreed to; when, by Mr Reed moved that the whole clause relating to the point of Representation ["might" stricken out] be postponed; ["He" stricken out] reminding the Com that the deputies from Delaware were' ["instructed" stricken out] restrained their comission from assenting to any change of the rule of suffrage, and in case such a change should be fixed on, it might become their duty to retire from the Convention. [Illegible words stricken out] M Gov! Morris observed that the valuable assistance of those ["del" stricken out] members could not be lost without real concern, and that so convention early a proof of discord in the ["meeting" stricken out] as a secession of a State, would add much to the regret; that the change proposed was however so fundamental an article in ["the general Govt" stricken out] a national Govt that Madison Λ it could not be dispensed with. TM ["M" stricken out] observed that whatever reason might have existed for the equality of suffrage when the Union was a federal one among sovereign States, it might cease when a national Govern! should be put into the place. In the former case, the acts of Cong depended so much for their efficacy on the cooperation of the States, that ["the latter" stricken out] had a weight both within & without Congress, nearly in proportion was different members A Λ these Λ latter A as from Λ the Λ a vote to their extent and importance. In the ["second" stricken out] case, as the acts of the Gen! Gov! would take effect without the intervention of the State legislatures, a vote from a small State w have the same efficacy & importance as from a large one, and there ["were" stricken out] the same reason for ["varying the re" stricken out] of representatives from different States, ["as in the case of " stricken out] Counties of different extents within particular States. He suggested as an expedient for at once taking sense of the members on this point and saving the Delaware deputies from embarrassment, that the question should be taken in Committee, and the clause ["postponed" stricken out] on report to the House. This however did not appear to satisfy M Read. By several it was observed that no just construction of the Act of Delaware, could require or ["even" stricken out] justify a secession of her deputies, even if the resolution were to be carried thro' the House as well as the Committee. It was finally agreed however that the clause should be postponed without a question there Λ the proposed Λ be postponed: it being understood that in the event change of representation would certainly be agreed to, no objection or difficulty being started from any other quarter than from Delaware. The motion of Mr. Read to postpone being agreed to The Committee then rose. The Chairman reported prog ress, and the House having resolved to resume the subject in Committee tomorrow, Adjourned to 10 OClock Thursday [June 1" stricken out] May 31. William Pierce from Georgia took his seat. andolph's In Committee of the whole on M R. propositions. Resolution A The 3 ["proposition" stricken out] "that the national Legislature ought to consist of two branches" was agreed to wh without debate or dissent, except that of Pennsylvania, given probably from complaisance to Doc'. Franklin who was understood to be partial to a single House of Legislation. {"respect to" Astricken out] Resol: 4. clause members of the first ["on proposition" stricken out] "that the, ["first branch" Λ Λ Λ the several stricken out] ought to be elected by the people of States" being taken up, State Λ Mr Sherman opposed the election by the people, insisting that it ought to be by the Legislatures. The people he said, immediately experience ought to" stricken out] should have as little to do as may be about the["ir" stricken out] Government. They want["ed" stricken out] information and are ["are", written over and upon "were"] constantly liable to be misled. M: G["h" stricken out]erry. The evils we ["express" stricken out] flow from the excess of democracy. The people do not want virtue; but are the dupes of [“the demagogues" stricken out] In Mass's it has been fully confirmed by experience that they are ["are", written over and patriots. Λ pretended upon "were"] daily misled into the most baneful measures false and opinions by the reports circulated by designing men, Λ would can arises Λ and which no one on the spot [illegible word stricken out] refute. One principal evil ["arose" stricken out] from the want of due provision for those employed in the administration of Governnt. It seem["s" stricken out] to be a ["principle" stricken out] of democracy to starve the public servants. He ["related the proceedings in Mass's in maxim the in Massts, for reduction Λ A he said mentioned the popular clamour causing the red" stricken out] of salaries and the attack made on that of the Gov! though secured by the spirit of the Constitution itself. He had been too republican heretofore: he was still however republican, ["and" stricken out] had been taught by experience the danger of the levilling spirit. not only the A to Λ but A Mr Mason. argued strongly for an election of the larger branch by the people. It was to be grand depository of the democratic principle of the Govt. It was, so to speak, to be our House of Commons-It ought know & sympathise with every part of the community; and ought therefore to be taken from different parts of the whole republic, but also from different districts of the larger members of it, which had in several instances particularly in Virga, different interests and views arising from difference of produce, of habits &c &. He admitted that we had been too democratic but was afraid we s incautiously run into the opposite extreme. We ought to attend to the rights of every class of the people. He had often wondered at the indifference of the superior classes of society to this dictate of humanity & policy, considering that however affluent their circumstances, or elevated their situations, might be, the course of a few years, not only might but certainly would, distribute their posterity throughout the lowest classes of Society. Every selfish motive therefore, every family attachment, ought to recommend such a system of policy as would provide no less carefully for the rights ["of the rights" stricken out]-and happiness of the lowest than of the highest ["classes", stricken out] of Citizens. orders Mr Wilson contended strenuously for drawing the most numerous branch of the Legislature immediately from the people. He was for raising the federal pyramid to a considerable altitude, and for that reason wished to give it as broad a basis as possible. No government could long subsist without the confidence of the people. In a republican Government this confidence was peculiarly essential. He also thought it wrong to increase the weight of the State Legislatures by making them the electors of the national Legislature. All ["competition" stricken out] between the general and local Governm's should be obviated as much as possible. On examination it would be found that the opposition ["s" stricken out] to federal measures had proceded much more from the Officers of the States, than from the people at large. interference of States Λ A M: Madison considered the popular election of one branch of the national Legislature as essential to every plan of free Government. He observed that in some of the States one already removed branch of the Legislature was composed of men ["separated", stricken out] from the people by an intervening body of electors. That if the first branch of the general legislature should be elected by the State Legislatures, the second branch elected by the first-the Executive by the second [illegible word stricken out] with the first; and other appointments again made for subordinate purposes by the Executive, the people would be lost sight of altogether; and the necessary sympathy between them and their rulers and officers, too little felt. He was an advocate for the policy of refining the popular together A |