M^r Gerry. Let us at once destroy the State Gov^{ts} have an Executive for life or hereditary, and a proper Senate, and then there would be some consistency in giving full powers to the Gen^l Gov^t but as the States are not to be abolished, he wondered at the attempts that were made to give powers inconsistent with their existence. He warned the Convention ag^{st} pushing the experiment too far. Some people will support a plan of vigorous Government at every risk. Others of a more democratic cast will oppose it with equal determination, and a Civil war may be produced by the conflict. M^r Madison. As the greatest danger is that of disunion of the States, it is necessary to guard ag^{st} it by sufficient powers to the Common gov^t and as the greatest danger to liberty is from large standing armies, it is best to prevent them by an effectual provision for a good Militia. On the Question to agree to M^r Madison's motion N. H. ay. Mas. no. C^t no. N. J. no. P^a no. Del. no. M^d no. V^a no. N. C. no. S. C. ay. Geo. ay.[40] [40] In the printed Journal, Geo: no.--Madison's Note. On the question to agree to the "reserving to the States the appointment of the officers." It was agreed to nem: contrad: On the question on the clause "and the authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by the U. S."-- N. H. ay. Mas. ay. C^t ay. N. J. ay. P^a ay. Del. no. M^d ay. V^a no. N. C. ay. S. C. no. Geo. no. On the question to agree to Art. VII. Sect. 7. as reported it passed nem: contrad. M^r Pinkney urged the necessity of preserving foreign Ministers & other officers of the U. S. independent of external influence and moved to insert, after Art. VII Sect 7. the clause following--"No person holding any office of profit or trust under the U. S. shall without the consent of the Legislature, accept of any present, emolument, office or title of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince or foreign State", which passed nem: contrad: M^r Rutlidge moved to amend Art: VIII to read as follows, "This Constitution & the laws of the U. S. made in pursuance thereof, and all the Treaties made under the authority of the U. S. shall be the supreme law of the several States and of their citizens and inhabitants; and the Judges in the several States shall be bound thereby in their decisions, any thing in the Constitutions or laws of the several States, to the contrary notwithstanding." which was agreed to, nem: contrad: Art: IX being next for consideration, M^r Gov^r Morris argued ag^{st} the appointment of officers by the Senate. He considered the body as too numerous for the purpose; as subject to cabal; and as devoid of responsibility. If Judges were to be tried by the Senate according to a late report of a Committee it was particularly wrong to let the Senate have the filling of vacancies which its own decrees were to create. M^r Wilson was of the same opinion & for like reasons.