at Annapolis in 1786 — Recommends Federal Convention — Proceedings of Virginia and other states — Previous suggestions for a convention by Pelatiah Webster, Gen. Schuyler, Alexander Hamilton, Richard H. Lee, and Noah Webster — Defects to be provided for by a constitution — Mr. Madison's sketch — Meeting of Federal Convention in 1787 — Manner in which the reports of the debates were taken.
Additional rules — Keeping of minutes — Convention goes into committee of the whole — Mr. Randolph submits fifteen propositions — His remarks — Propositions stated — Mr. Charles Pinckney submits a plan of a constitution — Plan stated.
Mr. Randolph's first proposition withdrawn, and a substitute offered — The proposed government to be national, and to consist of a legislature, executive, and judiciary.
Mr. Randolph's second proposition — The right of suffrage in the national legislature, to be proportioned to the quotas of contribution, or the number of free inhabitants, as is best in different cases — Postponed.
Mr. Randolph's third proposition — The national legislature to have two branches — Agreed to.
Mr. Randolph's fourth proposition — First branch of the national legislature to be elected by the people — Agreed to — Qualifications, &c., of members of first branch — Postponed.
Mr. Randolph's fifth proposition — Second branch of the national legislature to be chosen by the first branch, from nominations by state legislatures — Disagreed to — Qualifications of members of second branch — Not considered.
Mr. Randolph's sixth proposition — Powers of the national legislature — Each branch to originate laws — Agreed to — National legislature to possess all the legislative powers of the Congress of the Confederation, to pass laws where state legislatures are incompetent, or where necessary to preserve harmony among the states, and to negative state laws contravening the articles of union or foreign treaties — Agreed to — The national legislature authorized to exert the force of the whole against a delinquent state — Postponed.
Mr. Randolph's seventh proposition — The national executive to possess the executive powers of the Congress of the Confederation — Amended, to possess power to execute the national laws, and appoint to offices not otherwise provided for — Amendment agreed to — To be chosen for a term of ——— years — Amended, for seven years — Amendment agreed to — To be chosen by the national legislature — Postponed.
Mr. Randolph's seventh proposition — The national executive to be chosen by the national legislature, resumed — Agreed to — To receive fixed compensation — Amended, to receive no salary, but expenses to be defrayed — Amendment postponed — To be ineligible a second time — Amended to be removable on impeachment — Clause and amendment agreed to — To consist of ——— persons — Postponed.
Mr. Randolph's seventh proposition — The national executive to consist of ——— persons, resumed — Amended, a single person — Agreed to.
Mr. Randolph's eighth proposition — A council of revision, to consist of the national executive, and a convenient number of the national judiciary, to have a negative on acts of national legislature unless again passed by ——— members of each branch — Amended, to give the national executive alone that power, unless overruled by two thirds of each branch of the national legislature — Amendment agreed to.
Mr. Randolph's ninth proposition — The national judiciary to be established — Agreed to — To consist of one or more supreme tribunals, and of inferior tribunals — Amended, to consist of one supreme tribunal, and of inferior tribunals — Amendment agreed to.
Mr. Randolph's ninth proposition — The national judiciary to be chosen by the national legislature — Disagreed to — To hold office during good behavior, and to receive fixed compensation — Agreed to — To have jurisdiction over offences at sea, captures, cases of foreigners and citizens of different states, of national revenue, impeachments of national officers, and questions of national peace and harmony — Postponed.
Mr. Randolph's tenth proposition — New states to be admitted — Agreed to.
Mr. Randolph's eleventh proposition — Republican government and its territory, except in case of voluntary junction, to be guarantied to each state — Postponed.
Mr. Randolph's twelfth proposition — The Congress of the Confederation to continue till a given day, and its engagements to be fulfilled — Agreed to.
Mr. Randolph's thirteenth proposition — Provision to be made for amendments of the Constitution without the assent of the national legislature — Postponed.
Mr. Randolph's fourteenth proposition — National and state officers to take an
