The Journal of the Debates in the Convention which Framed the Constitution of the United States, May-September 1787. Volume 2Madison, James
History
The Journal of the Debates in the Convention which Framed the Constitution of the United States, May-September 1787. Volume 2
Madison, James
Constitutional law -- United States; Constitutions -- United States; United States. Constitution
M^r Elseworth said that in reflecting on this subject he had been
satisfied that too much dependence on the States would be produced by
this mode of payment. He moved to strike it out and insert that they
should "be paid out of the Treasury of the U. S. an allowance not
exceeding ([blank]) dollars per day or the present value thereof."
M^r Gov^r Morris, remarked that if the members were to be paid by the
States it would throw an unequal burden on the distant States, which
would be unjust as the Legislature, was to be a national Assembly. He
moved that the payment be out of the Nat^l Treasury; leaving the quantum
to the discretion of the Nat^l Legislature. There could be no reason to
fear that they would overpay themselves.
M^r Butler contended for payment by the States; particularly in the case
of the Senate, who will be so long out of their respective States, that
they will lose sight of their Constituents unless dependent on them for
their support.
M^r Langdon was ag^{st} payment by the States. There would be some
difficulty in fixing the sum; but it would be unjust to oblige the
distant States to bear the expence of their members in travelling to and
from the Seat of Gov^t.
M^r Madison. If the H. of Rep^s is to be chosen _biennially_--and the
Senate to be _constantly_ dependent on the Legislatures which are chosen
_annually_, he could not see any chance for that stability in the Gen^l
Gov^t the want of which was a principal evil in the State Gov^{ts}. His
fear was that the organization of the Gov^t supposing the Senate to be
really independ^t for six years, would not effect our purpose. It was
nothing more than a combination of the peculiarities of two of the State
Gov^{ts} which separately had been found insufficient. The Senate was
formed on the model of that of Maryl^d. The Revisionary check, on that
of N. York. What the effect of a union of these provisions might be,
could not be foreseen. The enlargement of the sphere of the Government
was indeed a circumstance which he thought would be favorable as he had
on several occasions undertaken to show. He was however for fixing at
least two extremes not to be exceeded by the Nat^l Legisl^{re} in the
payment of themselves.
M^r Gerry. There are difficulties on both sides. The observation of M^r
Butler has weight in it. On the other side, the State Legislatures may
turn out the Senators by reducing their salaries. Such things have been
practised.
Col. Mason. It has not yet been noticed that the clause as it now stands
makes the House of Represent^s also dependent on the State Legislatures:
so that both houses will be made the instruments of the politics of the
States whatever they may be.
M^r Broom could see no danger in trusting the Gen^l Legislature with the
payment of themselves. The State Legislatures had this power, and no
complaint had been made of it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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