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Show 82 THE FEDERAL CONVENTION. July 17. The Convention proceeded to the considera-tion of a reso 1u ~4.:. ton co nccrnitlOo' the two branches of th.e . d f· this date till the 26th was cnO':tgccl m leg1slature, an 1om · · · 1 b 1 discussing the execu~~4J• ve, legislative ' and JUdicia. . ranc 1cs t NothinO' however was chc1ted that of the governmen . o' ' . would proper1 y come W·l't hin the scope of tlns work, or that would be pat· t1' cu 1a 1· 1 Y 1. nterest inOo' to the general reader. . On the 26th, the resolutions of Mr. Randolph havt.ng been a secon d t1. me oO 'ODC through with ' they, toget.h er wtLh b f 1\.r srs Patterson and Pinckney, were refel'l'ed to t ose o J.nes · · d '11 . f D t ·the Commtttee o e a 11' and the Convention adJonrne tt August 6 t b , t o g1. ve tl1e Committee time to prepare and report a Constitution. . The resolutions as committed, cxpressmg .the. sense of the Co nven tw. n up on the principles of a Const11tution, were as follows : · d S t 1. Resolved, That the government of ihe Un~t~ ta es ought to consist of a supreme legislative, judiciary, and executive. 2. R eso l ve d , That the lcror islature consist of two branches. 3. Resol·ved, That the members of the first branch of the legislature ought to be elected by the people of the several States for tbe term of two years; to be paid out. of the public treasury; to receive an adequate compcnsatwn for their services· to be of the age of twenty-five years at least; to be ~neligible to, and incapable of holdiug, any office nnder the authority of the U nitcd States (except those peculiarly belonging to the functions of the first branch) during the term of service of the first branch. 4. Resolued, That the members of the second branch of the legislature of the United States ought to be ~hosen by the individual legislatures; to be of the age of ilnrty years at least·' to hold their offices for six years, one third to .g o out biennially; to receive a compensation for the devotiOn of their time to the public service; to be ineligible to, and THE FEDERAL COKVENTJON. 83 mcapable of holcling, any office under the authority of the United States (except those peculiarly belonging to the funclious of the second branch) during the term for which they arc elected, and for one year thereafter. 5. Resolved, That each branch ought to possess the right of originating acts. 6. Re~·o lved, 'rhat the national legislature onght to possess the lcgi lati ve rights vested in Congress by the ConfederaLion; and, moreover, to legislate in all cases for the general interests of the Union, and also in those to which the States are separately incompetent, or in which the harmony of the United States may be interrupted by the exercise of individual legislation. 7. Resolved, That the legislative acts of the United States, made by virtue and in pursuance of the articles of union, and all treaties made and ratified under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the respective States, as far as tho c acts or tt·eaties shaH relate to the said States, or their ci tizenR and inhabitants; and that the judiciaries of the several States shall be bound thereby in their decisions, any thing in the respective laws of the indi vidual States to the contrary notwithstanding. 8. Re. olved, That in the general formation of the legislature of the United SLates, the first branch thereof shall consist of sixty-five members; of which number, New Hampshire shall send 3 ; Massachusetts, 8; Rhode Island, 1; Connecticut, 5 ; New York, 6 ; New Jersey, 4 ; Pennsylvania, 8; Delaware, 1; Maryland, 6; Virginia, 10; North Carolina, 5; South Carolina, 5; Georgia, 3. But, as the present situation of the States may probably alter in the number of their inhabitants, the legislature of the United States shall be authorized, from time to time, to apportion the number of representatives; and in case any of the States shall hereafter be divided, or enlarged by addition of territory, or any two or more States united, or |
