RECORDS OF THE FEDERAL CONVENTION 20 Tuesday McHENRY August McHENRY Augt. 7- Mr. Martin set out for New York on this day so we were without his concurrence in the propositions? Shewed these propositions to Mr. Carroll Mr. Jenifer and Mr. Mercer in convention. They said in general terms that they believed they should accord with them. I observed to Mr. Carrol that we would meet again in the evening and talk over the subject3 ? The business of the Convention proceeded. The preamble or caption and the I. and 2. article passed without debate, the 3 article was amended so as to leave it with the legislature to appoint after the first meeting, the day for the succeeding meetings. The IV article gave rise to a long debate, respecting the qualifications of the electors. Mr. Dickinson contended for confining the rights of elec- tion in the first branch to free holders. No one could be con- sidered as having an interest in the government unless he possessed some of the soil. The fear of an aristocracy was a theoretical fiction. The owners of the soil could have no interest distinct from the country. There was no reason to dread a few men becoming lords of such an extent of territory as to enable them to govern at their pleasure. Governeur Morris- thought that wise men should not suffer themselves to be misguided by sound. If the suffrage was to be open to all freemen ? the government would in- dubitably. be an aristocracy. The system was a system of Aristocracy. It put it in the power of opulent men whose business created numerous dependents to rule at all elections. Hence so soon as we erected large manufactories and our towns ?0 See McHenry's notes of August 6. zt Crossed out: "that I had my doubt whether the gentlemen had given them- 8elves time to consider the effect o{ the propositions or the part we ought to take respecting them."
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