amendments, a universal despair of our keeping together, will take place. It seems to be agreed here that the Virginia plan was admitted to come upon the floor of investigation by way of experiment and with a few yieldings on this point & that it keeps its ground at present. The contents of this plan was known to some, I believe, before the Convention met. Perhaps the public mind will be prepared in a few years to receive this new system. However I leave the whole to the wisdom of the Convention.
LVII. Hugh Williamson to James Iredell.[1]
Philadelphia, July 8th, 1787.
I think it more than likely that we shall not leave this place before the middle of August. The diverse and almost opposite interests that are to be reconciled, occasion us to progress very slowly. I fear that Davie will be obliged to leave us before our business is finished, which will be a heavy stroke to the delegation. We have occasion for his judgment, for I am inclined to think that the great exertions of political wisdom in our late Governor [Martin], while he sat at the helm of our State, have so exhausted his fund, that time must be required to enable him again to exert his abilities to the advantage of the nation.
LVIII. Edmund Randolph’s Suggestion for Conciliating the Small States.[2]
communicated by Mr. Randolph, July 10. as an accomodating proposition to small States
(This & the following paper to be in an appendix)
1. Resolvd. that in the second branch each State have one vote in the following cases,
- 1. in granting exclusive rights to Ports.
- 2. in subjecting vessels or seamen of the U. States to tonnage, duties or other impositions
- 3. in regulating the navigation of Rivers
- 4. in regulating the rights to be enjoyed by citizens of one State in the other States.
- 5. in questions arising on the guarantee of territory
- 6. in declaring war or taking measures for subduing a Rebellion
- 7. in regulating Coin
