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
America could not have been entitled to more than 1/3
of the n^o of Representatives which would fall to the share of G. B.
Would American rights & interests have been safe under an authority thus
constituted? It has been said that if a Nat^l Gov^t is to be formed so
as to operate on the people, and not on the States, the representatives
ought to be drawn from the people. But why so? May not a Legislature
filled by the State Legislatures operate on the people who chuse the
State Legislatures? or may not a practicable coercion be found. He
admitted that there was none such in the existing System.--He was
attached strongly to the plan of the existing Confederacy, in which the
people chuse their Legislative representatives; and the Legislatures
their federal representatives. No other amendments were wanting than to
mark the orbits of the States with due precision, and provide for the
use of coercion, which was the great point. He alluded to the hint
thrown out heretofore by M^r Wilson of the necessity to which the large
States might be reduced of confederating among themselves, by a refusal
of the others to concur. Let them unite if they please, but let them
remember that they have no authority to compel the others to unite. N.
Jersey will never confederate on the plan before the Committee. She
would be swallowed up. He had rather submit to a monarch, to a despot,
than to such a fate. He would not only oppose the plan here but on his
return home do every thing in his power to defeat it there.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account