Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1884-03-29

Yates says that, in Randolph's speech
upon offering them, "he candidly con-
fessed that they were not intended fora
federal government: he meant strong,
consolidated union, in which the idea
of states should be nearly annihilated."
The next da, the convention resolved
itself into u committee OF the whole,
and at once proceeded to consider and
discuss these resolutions.
1t was on this day, and at the outset
OF the discussion. that Gouverneur
Morris, of Pennsylvania, offered his
famous Three Resolutions. The first
was against a federal union, and the
second against the sovereignty of the
states. These were dropped. The
last was adopted, and is:
"Resolved, That a national govern
ment ought to be established, consist
ing ofa supreme judicial, Legislative and
executive" Afterwards, June 20, on
motion of Judge Ellsworth, of Conn.,,
this resolution was modified by snbsti-
tuting "United States" for "national."
Gov. Randolph's Resolutions were
debated In committee until June 13.
In them he proposed that the represen-
tation in the national legislature should
be according ''to the quotas of contri-
button, or to the number of free
Inhabitants; )" that it should consist Of
two branches, that the members of the
first branch should be chosen by the
people, should be literally paid, should
be ineligible during service To any other
United States Office, should be incapa-
bic Of reelection for time, and should
be subject to recall that the members of
the second branch should he chosen by
the first branch froiu nominees OF the
state legislatures,b be iberally paid, and
bc ineligible and incapable of fre-eiection
like the first: that both branches should
have the right to originate acts; that
the national Legislature should have the
powers OF congress under the confed-
Grafton and when the states were in
competent or harmony required it, also
"to negative all laws passed by
the several states ,contrayening, in the
opinion of the national legislature, the
articles of union or any treaty subsist-
ing under the authority of the union;
and to call forth the force of the union
against any member ot the Union fail
ing to fulfil its duty under the articles
thereof"
He further proposed that there should
be irrational erecutiue" "to be chosen
by the national legislature;" that he
he should be paid fixed compensa-
ton, be ineligible second time, and
have general executive powers. That
a national judiciary be established, to
hold during good behavior and have
liked compensation, with jurisdiction
Of piracies and felonies Oh the high
seas, captures, cases Of foreigners or
citizens of different states. or cases
respecting the collection OF the national
revenue; impeachment of any national
officer, and questions which involve
the national peace. That the executive
and portion ofthe judiciary compose
ga council Of revision" with power to
pass upon and veto every act of tho
national legislature.
Further, that new states should be
admitted by less than unanimous
vote of the national legislature; that
republican government and its terrific
ry be guaranteed each state; that con-
gress should continue until fixed day
for the new government; that the arti-
cles of union should be amendable with
out the assent of the national legisla-
ture; that all the state evil officers
should be sworn to the articles of union;
and that all amendments adopted by
the convention should be submitted to
an assembly or assemblies of represen-
tatives chosen by the people.
1t must be borne in mind that these
Resolutions as thus summarized are
simply the individual views of their
author, Gov. Randolph. They indi-
cate clearly that he was in favor of q
strong central government, and would
probably have favored the extreme
views OF Gouverneur Morris as set forth
in his three resolutions. In this con-
nection, it will be remembered that
Randolph was one of the sixteen mem-
bers who did not sign the constitution,
and probably The only one of that NUM-
ber who did not do so because it was not
sufficiently national to suit his views.
20 al-a LAYMAN.