The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-08
i I.

The resolutions OF tho Committee OF the Whole,
and those introduced by Patterson, which arc
usually described as the New Jersey plan, wero
now referred again TO the Committee OF the Whole
and, on juno 10, a general debate was begun on
the basis and the principles Of tho two projects Tho
contest principally turned on the respective first
resolutions, the friends of the New jersey scheme
showing strong prepossessions az ainst the CEN
trnliing tendencies OF the Virginia PLAN and pro-
posing merely 70 amend the Articles OF Confedera-
ton while the friends Of tho Virginia plan wero de-
ternined to adhere In tho main TO the essentials OF
their project which formulated a government to
consist Of supreme Legislature. Judiciary and ex-
ecutive. Proposals aiming at compromise wero
made, and. while these were pending. Hamilton ad-
dressed the Convention, and advocated plan out
lined in highly unifying resolutions This plan met
with but little approval and, on juno 10, II was
moved and carried 10 postpone tho first resolution
Patterson, and then it resolved that the reso-
buttons heretofore agreed 10 In Committee OF tho
Whole should be reported 10 the Convention with
out alteration. Thus the Virginia plan became
the bedr Of tho Constitution, and the Convcn-
ton now went TO work once more TO consider tho
resolutions embodying II sertdiim. In tho dis
cusson which now took place in tho Convention,
as disting ui5hed from the Committee OF tho Whole
one OF tho first things done To meet the objec-
tons of those who disapproved the centraliLng
tendencies OF the Convention by striking out tho
word national" and using instead the expression
of tho United Staesa as, for example in the first
resolution. That Is why no student OF the Con-
sttution familiar with its genesis will allow him
self TO apply the word national to our system OF
federal government We add that the term
United States" being always plural in
the Constitution. cannot properly be used as
singular noun. We proceed TO note that all
the subjects that had been discussed In tho Com
mittce OF the Whole were again considered in tho
House, and the members disagreed so seriously
that tho Convention was ain at several stages
nearly ready 70 break up. Particularly upon tho
question Of the legislative department the contest
was bitter for here there came TO the sur
face the conflict OF interests between the smaller
and tho larger States which had earlier arisen in
Committee OF the Whole. tho former still insisting
upon State and the latter upon proportional repre-
sentaton As this contest reached focus, and
became complicated with the question how tho
slaves should be counted In fixing the representa-
ton. II became evident and members oven asserted
the floor that the real difference was not between
the large and tho small States. but between the
North and tho South. Each section feared that
the other would control the Union and the members
battled to the very end for their respective sides
Finally, the ell'known compromise was agreed
upon. but the Convention had been engaged upon
the subject from juno ~ TO July 10, and, during
all this time very serious doubt concerning the
issue OF their labors was entertained by the mem
bers The whole matter was made the subject Of
q compromise between the var GUS conflicting in
teTests, and the pTovs nected into the &C
commodation which had no proper place there,
consent to them being undoubtedly extorted as
the price at which other portions should be carried
Tha min inlA q