Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1884-04-05

of service; and are not made subject to
recall. The members of the second
branch were to be chosen by the indi-
vidual Legislatures; to be at least thirty
years old; to serve seven years; to be
paid from International treasury; and to
be ineligible to any state Office, also
while in service. The right of coercing
recalcitrant state by the national leg
islature was not adopted. The right
of suffrage in both branches was to be
according to the population of the
states, counting the free citizens and
three -fifths of the rest.
The national executive was to be one
person, to be chosen for seven years,
with power of appointing other officers,
to be impeachable, and to have the veto
power now possessed by the president.
The national judiciary was to consist
of one supreme tribunal, to be appoint
ed by the second branch, and of such
superior tribunals as the natioual leg
islature might appoint. Piracies, fel-
onies, captures, and cases of foreigners
and citizens were omitted, as details of
jurisdiction to be settled afterwards.
The guaranty of the states territory
was omitted; and the provision that
amendment of the articles of union
might be made without the ass. mt of
the national legislature was also strick-
en- out. .t.s -
The most serious, and indeed the on
ly very important, modification Of the
original Resolutions, made by the COM
mittee of the whole, was the striking
out the provision for the coercion of
the states by the national government
Otherwise, they are as thoroughly ma
tional in their character as when ORR
ginally offered. Manifestly the COM
mittee OF the whole in those early days
of the convention was under the lead
of the advanced nationals, such as
Randolph, &. Morris, Read of Della
ware, and Wilson OF Pennsylvania.
The notifications made by the con-
vention itself in these Resolutions, on
the whole perhaps, lessen the intensity
of their national character. The first
resolution was changed as we have al
ready seen with this view. The repre-
sentation in the second branch of the
legislature was also changed from a
proportionate to an equal representa-
ton. On the other hand: in the last or
convention form of the series, the su-
premacy of the national legislation and
treaties over the laws and judiciaries OF
the states is affirmed.
| We shall now examine the
| JERSEY RESOLUTIONS,
which were presented to the conven-
ton by VIM. Patterson, delegate from
New Jersey, June Is, and referred to
the committee of the whole; to whom
were also recommitted the Virginia
Resolutions, already adopted on the
18th. There were eleven Of them.
The first declares that the articles
of confederation should be so "enlarg-
ed as to render the federal constitution
adequate to the exigencies of govern
ment and the preservation of the
union
The second adds to the powers al
ready vested in "the United States in
Congress authority, 1. To raise q
revenue BY duty on imports, by q
stamp tax, and by postage, with power
to make rules for the collection of the
same. 2. To regulate commerce,
domestic and foreign; providing that
all penalties for violating these regula-
tions shall be adjudged by the common
law judiciary of the states, subject to
al appeal to the judiciary Of the United
States.
The third provides that requisition:
be made in proportion to the free in
habitants and three-fifths of all Other
persons; that in case of non- compli-
ance, the congress shall have power tc
direct the collection; provided, how.
ever, that this power shall not be exer
cised without the consent of certain
proportion Cleft undetermined) OF the
states.
The fourth provides for federal ex,
ecutive, indefinite in number and as tc
term of service; to be paid fixed com
pensation out of the federal treasury
to be incapable of holding any Other
Office during their term of service and
for all indefinite period thereafter; tc
be ineligible second time; to be i'm
peachable by congress OIL application
of a majority of the state executives
with general executive, appointing anc
military authority.
The fifth provides for federal judi.
ciaTy, to consist of supreme tribunal
appointed during good behavior,by the
executive; to be paid fixed compen
sation; with original jurisdiction o
impeachment of federal officers, anC
appellate in cases OF ambassadors, cap
lures, piracies, felonies on the higl
seas, foreigners, treaties, acts OF con
gress for the regulation Of trade or TIL
collection of the federal revenue; to b
incapable of holding any other offic
during their term Of service and FOR al
' indefinite period afterwards.
The sixth requires all state civil OFF
= GERS to be sworn to the articles G
+ union.
The seventh declares the legal acts c
congress and United States treaties t
> be the supreme law of the states, an,
thing in their respective laws to tn
contrary notwithstanding; and furthe
provides that, in case OF individual G
state opposition to such acts and trea
: ties, the federal executive shall be Il,
thoriled 10 call forth the powers OF sL