Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1884-04-12
QUE CONSTITUTIONAL HISTORY.
No. 4.

| THE
CONVENTION
that We may see whether there be anything
OF interest in them. These notes begin with
the opening OF the convention, Friday. May
70, 1's', and close July 5 when he and his
colleague, Mr.. Lansing, left In disgust on ac-
count of the adoption bv the convention of
the national rather than the federal plan OF II
constitution.
On the first day the convention by unani-
nous vote made General Washington their
presiding officer, completed their organiza-
tion, and appointed a committee Oh rules,
which reported on the succeeding Monday.
Tuesday Gov. Randolph, after a long and
elaborate speech. presented the famous Vir-
ginia Resolutions, and Mr.. c. Pinckney, from
south Carolina. offered ais draft OF Il cOnsti-
luton, which he said was grounded on the
same principle as Gov. .Randolph's resolutions.
The next day the convention sat us Il COM
nlittee OF the whole and considered the Vir-
ginia Resolutions. Gouverneur Morris pre-
sented his well known three resolutions; the
first two Of which We're withdrawn by him
and not rejected by u vote OF the convention,
rs Is sometimes asserted.
! The convention, as committee of the
whole, continued the consideration of these
Resolutions from day TO day. Dune 9, Mr..
JAS. Wilson, Of Pennsylvania, proposed that
the states should be divided into election dis
tricts for the selection OF senators. This, as
we have seen, was Hamilton's idea also. 1t
was rejected. Benz. Franklin proposed that
! the national executive should receive no
| compensation beyond his expenses. Post
| poned. Gov. Randolph wished the states iii.
Sided into three sections, with an executive
for each.
June 4, there was proposition made that
the executive have complete or absolute
negative or veto power. Defeated unani-
mously.
June 6, Mr.. Pinckney moved that the mem
bers of the first branch of the national legis-
lalure he chosen by the state legislatures.
This was defeated. During the discussion oi
this question, Mr.. George Read, of Delaware,
remarked that 'the state governments must
sooner or later be ut an end, and that there
fore we must make the present national gov
ernment as perfect aS possible
June 8, Mr.. Pinckney moved ssthat the ma
tional legislature shall have the power of
negatvlhg all laws to be passed by the state
legislatures which they may Judge improp-
er." Madison favored this motion, and when
1t was opposed suggested that the negative
power should be given to the senate. which.
he says, twill probably be always sittiny.''
Virginia, Pennsylvania an,l Massachusetts $.
voted alone for the motion.
June9, Elbridge Gerry, of Massachusetts.
moved That the national executive he ap-
pointed by the state executives" Defeated.
On this day the representation of the states
in the national legislature was taken up and
discussed. There were several propositions.
The federals contended that it should be
equal in both branches of the legislature
The nationals, that it should not be equal
but proportionate in both; some contendnr
that It should be based on numbers; others, !
On contributions; and others still on the !
wealth Of the several states.
Roger Sherman proposed Il compromise on.
the llth, that the first branch have a propor- !
tlonate and the second an equal representa-
t!on and vote of the several states. The eS- |
t.enc nationals carried the vote bv six states !
against i've. The proposition of Mr.. Wilson. |
that the representation in the first OF lower
branch he based on the number of free inhai- |
itants and three-hhhs Of the rest, was carried !
by nine states to two
II must not be forgotten that from tn. first |
there were two well denned parties In the !
convention; those who favored strictly fed. !
eral government and wished to continue the !
OLD Articles OF Confederation somewhat ,
amended, and those who favored d govern
ment more or less decidedly national. Almost
every discussion In the convention OF any in
terest was upon some issue between these
parties. The federals were almost mvari.
ably in the minority. The vote upon the
representation Of the states In the senate On
the llth OF June, was one of the closest, the
nationals vim ing by six states to five.
On the question Of requiring all state OFF,
GERS to swear 10 support the articles of
union, Mr.. Gerry moved to add THAT the ma,
tional legislators ought to be sworn to sup
port the state constitutions" Ado,,tei by
seven states to four.
June -, II was voted TO elect the memhers
OF the first branch OF the national legislature
for u term OF three years. During the pen
dency of this question, Mr.. Gerry is reported
TO have said, perhaps limited monarchy
would be the best government, Ii We could
organize it by creating house OF peers: hut
that cannot be done" Mr.. Gerry was -
mo crate federal one of those who refused 10 !
sign the constitution, and YET lie placed him
self by the side of Hamilton, tiie most ey- ,
Ireme national in the convention, in Ia oring !
monarchy. Extremes meet. il wss voted
% elect the senators for seven years.
June I5, as we have already stated, Mr..
Patterson offered the jersey Resolutions, II
which We're discussed until June H. and then = =
'ejec.ed by seven states 10 three, The com.
nittee then rose, and the convention at once d
proceeded to consider the Virginia Re>olu- "
IONS reported. State sovereignty was The :,
irst question discussed. Mr.. Wilson, Il na
ional, said, with me, it il not Il desirable Il
biect 10 annihilate The state governments. :,
n all extensive empires II subdivision of il
'Ower is necessary" Hamilton: Even el
With corporate rights, the states will be dan =
erous to the national government, and ought II
0 he extinguished, new modified, or reduced tr
0 q smaller scale.r Mr.. King, national;- W
None OF the states are now sovereign nr in ~