to three in the negative. But on the question to agree to the whole resolution, as it then stood, there were but six States in the affirmative, — Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland voting in the negative; Massachusetts, not present; and Virginia, divided. Of the Virginia delegation, General Washington and Mr. Madison voted against the resolution from a decided repugnance to the election of the executive magistrate by the national legislature; Colonel Mason and Judge Blair voted for it; and Governor Randolph and Dr. M'Clurg were absent at the time of taking the vote.

The resolution of the committee of the whole, relating to the organization of the executive department, being thus disposed of, the convention took up in succession the remaining ten resolutions reported by the committee, and adopted each of them with little or no alteration, excepting only the fifteenth, providing for the continuance of the existing Congress until the inauguration of the new government, which was pretermitted more from objections of form than of principle. Some of these resolutions gave rise to interesting and able discussions in the convention; but they all received, in the end, the sanction of a large majority of the States, where they did not meet, as some of them did, with their unanimous concurrence. The nineteen resolutions, forming the Virginia plan, as modified and reported by the committee of the whole, had now, with the farther modifications and additions they received in the convention, become

twenty-two, which were referred, by an order of the House, to a committee of five members to prepare and report the draught of a constitution in conformity to them. This committee, called the committee of detail, was elected by ballot, and consisted of Mr. Rutledge, of South Carolina; Mr. Randolph, of Virginia; Mr. Gorham, of Massachusetts; Mr. Ellsworth, of Connecticut; and Mr. Wilson, of Pennsylvania. In order to afford time to the committee to perform their work, the convention adjourned on the 26th of July, to meet again on the 6th of August.

CHAPTER XXXII.

Constitution reported by Committee of Detail-Proceedings on it in Convention - Right of Suffrage in Election of Representatives — Principles of Convention opposed to Universal Suffrage - Cautious Policy of Convention with regard to Admission of Foreigners to Political Privileges-Warm Debate on Clause restraining Origination of Money Bills to House of Representatives - Single Instance of Separation, in their Votes, between General Washington and Mr. Madison - Contest respecting Ineligibility of Members of Congress to other Offices-Enumeration of Powers of Congress - History of Bargain, entered into between the Eastern States and two of the Southern States, respecting Slave Trade, and Regulation of Commerce- Strong Dissatisfaction and Disgust of several Members of the Convention, particularly Colonel Mason-Mr. Madison's Views of the True Balance of Interests among the Different States, with regard to Future Commercial Policy of the Government - Separate Powers of Senate -Difficulties in Organization of Executive Department cause it to be postponed to last Days of Convention - Complete Unanimity with regard to Independence of Judiciary- New Plan brought forward by a Committee respecting Mode of Appointment and Official Tenure of Executive-Action of Convention upon it-Proposition of Colonel Mason, for Council of State to President, sustained by Mr. Madison, Dr. Franklin, Mr. Wilson, and Mr. Dickinson-Committee of Five appointed to revise Style and Arrangement of Articles in Constitution-Question on Adoption of Constitution as a Whole-Declarations of Governor Randolph, Colonel Mason, Mr. Pinckney, and Mr. Gerry-Proposition for signing Constitution moved by Dr. Franklin - His Impressive Remarks on the Occasion-General Washington, from the Chair, before putting the Question, asks leave to submit a Proposition, which is unanimously adopted — Appeal of Dr. Franklin

for like Unanimity in the Signature of the Constitution enforced by several Members-Three only withhold their Signatures-Closing Scene of the Convention.

ON the 6th of August, the convention re-assembled to receive the report of the committee of detail charged with preparing the draught of a constitution, in conformity to the resolutions which had been adopted by the convention. The draught was arranged into twenty-three articles, delineating minutely the organization, powers, and functions of the several departments of the government, with a few supplemental provisions relative to the mode of putting it into operation. It might not unnaturally be supposed, that, the general principles of the system having already received the sanction of the convention, and being now clothed in an appropriate technical form for giving them practical effect, the chief difficulties of the important task committed to the hands of the convention had been surmounted. These difficulties, however, thickened, and grew more and more lowering in their aspect, as the convention advanced towards the close of their labors, and, more than once, seemed to put in jeopardy the final success of their deliberations.

The day after receiving the report of the committee, the convention entered upon the consideration of the constitution reported. The three first articles presented no question of special importance, and, with a slight modification of one of them, were promptly agreed to.

The fourth article related to the constitution of the popular branch of the legislative department, and presented, in the outset, questions of very deep interest. The first section of that article provided that "the members of the House of Representatives shall be chosen by the people of the several States, and that the qualifications of the electors shall be the same as those of the electors in the several States of the most numerous branch of their own legislatures." Mr. Gouverneur Morris moved to strike out the latter portion of the section, in order that some provision might be substituted which would restrain the right of suffrage to freeholders. It was considered, however, an exceedingly delicate thing to interfere with the right of suffrage as regulated by the respective States; and Mr. Morris's motion was not acceded to. The regulations which then existed in the several States on the subject of suffrage were of a very conservative character, and left but little, if any, room for men of the most sober opinions to desire a change, even if an interference of the Federal authority had been considered admissible in principle. In a very large majority of the States, the possession of a moderate freehold estate, or its equivalent in personal property, was required as a qualification for the exercise of the right of suffrage; and in not one of them, it is believed, was universal suffrage, as since practised, then known.1

1 The following were the qualifications prescribed in the principal

States of the Union, for the exercise of the right of suffrage, at the