The Journal of the Debates in the Convention which Framed the Constitution of the United States, May-September 1787. Volume 1Madison, James
History
The Journal of the Debates in the Convention which Framed the Constitution of the United States, May-September 1787. Volume 1
Madison, James
Constitutional law -- United States; Constitutions -- United States; United States. Constitution
M^r King thought there was great force in the objections of M^r Gov^r
Morris: he would however accede to the proposition for the sake of doing
something.
M^r Rutlidge contended for the admission of wealth in the estimate by
which Representation should be regulated. The Western States will not be
able to contribute in proportion to their numbers; they sh^d not
therefore be represented in that proportion. The Atlantic States will
not concur in such a plan. He moved that "at the end of ---- years after
the 1^{st} meeting of the Legislature, and of every ---- years
thereafter, the Legislature shall proportion the Representation
according to the principles of wealth & population."
M^r Sherman thought the number of people alone the best rule for
measuring wealth as well as representation; and that if the Legislature
were to be governed by wealth, they would be obliged to estimate it by
numbers. He was at first for leaving the matter wholly to the discretion
of the Legislature; but he had been convinced by the observation of (M^r
Randolph & M^r Mason), that the _periods_ & the _rule_, of revising the
Representation ought to be fixt by the Constitution.
M^r Reed thought the Legislature ought not to be too much shackled. It
would make the Constitution like Religious Creeds, embarrassing to those
bound to conform to them & more likely to produce dissatisfaction and
scism, than harmony and union.
M^r Mason objected to M^r Rutlidge's motion, as requiring of the
Legislature something too indefinite & impracticable, and leaving them a
pretext for doing nothing.
M^r Wilson had himself no objection to leaving the Legislature entirely
at liberty. But considered wealth as an impracticable rule.
M^r Ghorum. If the Convention who are comparatively so little biassed by
local views are so much perplexed, How can it be expected that the
Legislature hereafter under the full biass of those views, will be able
to settle a standard. He was convinced by the arguments of others & his
own reflections, that the Convention ought to fix some standard or
other.
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