The Journal of the Debates in the Convention which Framed the Constitution of the United States, May-September 1787. Volume 2Madison, James
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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 would prefer a negative in the Executive on a nomination
by the 2^d branch, the negative to be overruled by a concurrence of 2/3
of the 2^d b. to the mode proposed by the motion; but preferred an
absolute appointment by the 2^d branch to either. The Executive will be
regarded by the people with a jealous eye. Every power for augmenting
unnecessarily his influence will be disliked. As he will be stationary
it was not to be supposed he could have a better knowledge of
characters. He will be more open to caresses & intrigues than the
Senate. The right to supersede his nomination will be ideal only. A
nomination under such circumstances will be equivalent to an
appointment.
M^r Gov^r Morris supported the motion. 1. The States in their corporate
capacity will frequently have an interest staked on the determination of
the Judges. As in the Senate the States are to vote the Judges ought not
to be appointed by the Senate. Next to the impropriety of being Judge in
one's own cause, is the appointment of the Judge. 2. It had been said
the Executive would be uninformed of characters. The reverse was y^e
truth. The Senate will be so. They must take the character of candidates
from the flattering pictures drawn by their friends. The Executive in
the necessary intercourse with every part of the U. S. required by the
nature of his administration, will or may have the best possible
information. 3. It had been said that a jealousy would be entertained of
the Executive. If the Executive can be safely trusted with the command
of the army, there cannot surely be any reasonable ground of Jealousy in
the present case. He added that if the Objections ag^{st} an appointment
of the Executive by the Legislature, had the weight that had been
allowed there must be some weight in the objection to an appointment of
the Judges by the Legislature or by any part of it.
M^r Gerry. The appointment of the Judges like every other part of the
Constitution sh^d be so modelled as to give satisfaction both to the
people and to the States. The mode under consideration will give
satisfaction to neither. He could not conceive that the Executive could
be as well informed of characters throughout the Union, as the Senate.
It appeared to him also a strong objection that 2/3 of the Senate were
required to reject a nomination of the Executive. The Senate would be
constituted in the same manner as Congress. And the appointments of
Congress have been generally good.
M^r Madison, observed that he was not anxious that 2/3 should be
necessary to disagree to a nomination. He had given this form to his
motion chiefly to vary it the more clearly from one which had just been
rejected. He was content to obviate the objection last made, and
accordingly so varied the motion as to let a majority reject.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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