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

who were Of heart In favor Of proportional repre-
sentston 70 consider the expedency OF yielding
the point as 10 the second branch. Tho compro-
misc was eventually brought about by reference
TO committee shortly after the loss by an evonly
divided vote, Of the motion for equal representa-
ton In the Senate. The members seemed then.
as Sherman said, 10 be al a full stop. The vote
however, served In reality to bring the dispute to
an end. and Madison wrote many years later that
indications were soon manifest that sundry mem
bors from large States were relaxing In their do
termination. and that some ground OF compro-
mise was contemplated. such as finally took place
The compromise which was agreed upon In this
Committee was based on motion made byFrank-
lin, but was undoubtedly the work Of many minds
II provided for equal representation Of the States
In tho second branch. This provision was ap-
proved In the Convention on July by vote Of
10 s. two States being divided. The small
States had thus al last carried the day 10 one
branch OF the Legislature. and, though there was
q good deal more discussion. and more refcren ces
OF portions OF the compromise TO committees, yet
this decision was agreed 10. and finally, the whole
series OF resolutions into which the subject had
grown was approved on July 16 by votes 10 4.
Concerning the Executive. also. the Conven-
tion differed widely. and vacillated q good deal
in its decision. Al ono time IL threw aside an
earlier committee plan for the election Of the Ex
ocutivo by the Federal Legislature. and resolved
upon his appointment by electors to be chosen
by the State Legislature Then, after having
finished. as the delegates supposed, the arrange
monts for the Executive, and discussed other
matters, they " ent back upon their course and
reconsdored the whole subject. abolished the
choice by electors and reinstated the original
plan Of the Committee OF the Whole for his election
by the Federal Legislature only. asis we'll known.
TO abandon this again still later, and insert a
modified plan for a choice by electors There
was much difference OF opinion also touching
the veto power Of the Executive and a strong
effort was made. as had been previously made
in Committee Of tho Whole, to Join tho judiciary
with him in the veto function This was favorite
project Of Madison, and was introduced by him
several times during tho Convention sessions,
but was always defeated. Many other points
wero discussed at length and a great difference
Of opinion prevailed. but, for an account Of
these the reader must be referred to the body
OF this work. Finally, on July &C. all the twenty
three resolutions which the Convention had agreed
upon were referred 10 a committee on details con-
sisting Of Ave members, who were TO prepare
and report constitution. Rutledge Randolph
Gorham, Ellsworth and Wilson wero elected
by ballot To them were also referred the draft
OF constitution (now losD introduced at the open
ing Of the Convention by Charles Pinckney, and
the resolutions later introduced by Patterson.
Hamilton's resolutions were not referred. Tho
draft Of o constitution in Randolph's handwriting
Is appended to this volume Another draft in
the handwriting OF Wilson, with some marginal
alterations by Rutledge appears to have. been
framed at later stage Of tho committees labors;
this Is preserved among the Wilson papers In
tho Historical Society Of Pennsylvania In
order to give this committee timo TO agree upon
a form OF constitution, the Convention adjourned
until August 8. On that day their report was
made, and tho Convention began to go over their
draft Of constitution, clause by clause II
was engaged in this work until Sept 10 Nu
merous contests arose. and there still appeared
TO DO a vast difference Of opinion on many sub
iects. As time wore on and members grow weary
moro and moro subjects were referred TO special
committees and from these bodies came several
OF tho provisions Of the Constitution. Finally, a
committee was appointed on postponed and unnn-
ished parts Of the Constitution and II is to this
body that are duo, apparently, tho provisions
as TO the methods OF electing tho President, as
Some we'll as other some matters
III.
On Sept g. when the Convention had nearly
finished its review Of tho draft presented by the
committee on details. committee OF Ave was ap-
pointed by ballot to arrange the articles agreed
TO and revise their style johnson, Hamilton.
Gouverneur Morris Madison and King were
selected They did not complete their work until
Sept IL but, on that day. reported revised draft
Of almost all the matter referred to them When
1t had reached their hands, it had already taken
the shape ola constitution. and no longer repre-
scented a mere set of resolutions such as had been
previously referred 10 the committee on details
Nevertheless, tho work Of the committee on or
rangement and style was immense, for the in
strument was still very involved, having many
clauses piled ono upon the other. sadly misplaced,
and with but little Of tho orderly presentation
which such document should have The com
mittee transposed clauses very largely, bringing
them scientifically under appropriate heads aud
changed the style Of the instrument to it's
form. In which good English and lucid order arc
in high degree conspicuous II is well known
that Gouverneur Morris did most of this work
for the committee his skill as a draughtsman
was recognized, and his colleagues wore doubtless
glad to leave II to such able banda II has been
often charged that he took advantage OF his posi-
ton 10 insert turns OF phrase and lang tend
Ing to the establishment Of centralized govern
mcnt such as he believed in. Mr. Meigs admits
that there Is some foundation for tho charge, but
he doubts whether Morris did more in this way
hHou uiOot incu "ouiu uO uHuorlk CIRCUMSTANCES
When the report from the committee on arrange
ment and style reached the convention on Sept 12,
the delegates went over the instrument once more,
and quito number OF minor amendments were
made One amendment. then supposed TO be sub
stantial, was that in regard to the proportion OF
representation, this being changed so as TO author
Ire ono representative for every thirty thousand
people Washington thought this change SO i'm
portant that when putting the question, he, for
the first time during the sittngs of tho Convention,
addressed the body and urged the passage OF
the amendment TWAS then immedatel approved
without objection. Another amendment which still
affects materially the substance OF tho Federal
organic law. was also made at this time
We refer to the insertion In the clause defining
the method Of amending tho Constitution Of the
proviso that no State should without its consen,
be deprived ofits equal suffrage in tho Senate
Sherman first suggested this proviso but his
motion was defeated by a large majority. He then
moved to strike out the whole clause relating TO the
machinery for amendment, and this motion was
also lost whereupon murmurs began TO circu
late among the smaller States TO such an extent
that Gouyerneur Morris renewed the important