RECORDS OF THE FEDERAL CONVENTION 2 9 Tuesday MADISON July ?7 the respective States, as far as those acts or treaties shall relate to the said State% or their Citizens and inhabitants- & that the Judiciaries of the several States shall be bound thereby in their decision% any thing in the respective laws of the individual States to the contrar 7 notwithstanding" which was agreed to hem: con:.)? 9th. Resol: "that Natl. Executive consist of a single person." Agd. to nem. con. "To be chosen by the National Leglsl:" Mr. Governr. Morris was pointedly agst. his being so chosen. He will be the mere creature of the Legisl: if appointed & impeachable by that body. He ought to be elected by the people at large, by the freeholders of the Country. That difficulties attend this mode, he admits. But they have been found superable in N. �. &. in Cont. and would he believed be' found so, in the case of an Executive for the U. States. If the people should elect, they will never fail to prefer some man of distinguished character, or services; some man, if he might so speak, o{ continental reputation. If the Legislature elect, it will be the work of intrigue, of cabal, and of faction: it will be like the election of a pope b 7 a conclave of cardinals; real merit will rarely be the title to the appointment. (He moved to strike out "National Legislature" & insert "citi- zens of U. S") Mr. Sherman thought that the sense of the Nation would be better expressed by the Legislature, than by the people at large. The latter will never be sufficiently in{ormed of characters, and besides will never give a majority of votes to any one man. They will generally vote for some man in their own State, and the largest State will have the best chance {or the appointment. If the choice be made by the Legislre. A majority of voices may be made necessary to constitute an election. Mr. Wilson. two arguments have been urged agst. an a Taken from Journal. Madison had originally recorded only the substance. For Martin's explanation of this resolution, gee Appendix A, CLXXXIX, CXCII, also CXXXVII, CLXIII, CCLXXII, CCCI..XXXVIII, CCCXCL See further, above June 8, note 3, and below August 22t.
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