The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-12-18

made the basis Of Congress, did. 1t, how
ever, gave no name TO the Upper House, but
proposed that its members should be chosen
by the House of Representatives out of a
number Of persons nominated by the Legis-
latures Of the several States Three ways
in all were suggested to constitute the
membership.
1. Appointment by the Chief Executive
from nominations by the Legislatures.
.. Election by the people
3. Election by the Legislatures.
Alexander Hamilton urged as an amend
ment that the memhs<s should be chosen by
electors chosen by the people of the States,
and that they should serve during good be
havior. Pinckney proposed a term of three
years. The Committee of the Whole d.
gested these propositions, and reported in
favor of Second Branch" the members of
which were to be elected by the Legislatures
for seven years, and TO be ineligible to any
office for year after the expiration Of their
term, and the number was to be in proper
ton to the population.
This was the shape in which it appears in
the first draft of the Constitution. June
2l-5, 1877, the Convention adopted the re-
port of the Committee, except that the term
was changed from seven to six years, and
the ineligibility clause was stricken out.
The Convention then entered upon a pro-
tracted struggle as to the representation of
each State, and various propositions were
urged. One scheme gave Rhode Island and
Delaware each one, and Virginia five, with
the other States proportional between these.
DR.. Franklin proposed that each State have
an equal representation, with vote on
money bills propOrtionate to its share Of
the taxes. Delaware threatened to with
draw from the Confederation if the small
Stateswere not given an equal representation,
and finally, after the debate had gone on for
six weeks, the plan of giving each State two
members was adopted, and the small States
concentrated their efforts upon giving the
Second Branch the utmost power and i'm
portance. Aug. the name "Senate" was
formally given the Second Branch" Sept.
6 the Office of Yice-President was agreed
upon, and he was made the Presiding Officer
Of the Senate, in order to give him some
thing 10 do The Constitution was finally
adopted Sept II.
The Farmers Alliance platform confines
itself TO a mere demand for the election of
Senators by the people, and does not specify
how this is TO be done. Here is opportunity
for n wide diversity of opinion. Shall it be
by the whole vote of State, as a Governor
is elected, or shall each State be divided into
two Senatorial Districts? Shall the present
rule Of two Senators for each State-large
or small-continue, or shall each State have
a vote in the Senate in proportion to its
population?
Before any change can be made it will be
necessary TO get Sec. 3, Art. l, of the Consti-
tuition amended. This reads:
The Senate ofthe United States shalt be composed
Of two Senators from each State, chosen by the
Legislature thereof for SIX years. and each Senator
shall have one vote.
To secure this amendment it will be neces-
sary to have it proposed by twO-thirds of the
members of both Houses of Congress, and it
must then be ratified by the Legislatures of
three-fourths Of the States. That is, assum-
ing that the House will consist Of 3j6 Repre-
sentatiyes, it will have to receive the votes
Of 23l Representatives and 80 Senators, and
be ratified by the Legislatures OF 80 States.