Page:The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787 Volume 2.djvu/306

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

500 KECOl?DS OF THE FEDERAI? CONVENTION Vt' ednesday MADISON A?g?st x 5 latter* is, within the short term of seven years? and in a State where a strong party is opposed to the Constitution, and watch- ing every occasion of turning the public resentments agst. it. If the Executive be overturned by the popular branch, as happened in England, the tyranny of one man will ensue- In Rome where the Aristocracy overturned the throne, the consequence was different. lie enlarged on the tendency of the legislative Authority to usurp on the Executive and wished the section to be postponeds in order to consider of some more effectual check than requiring ? onl 7 to overrule the negative of the Executive. Mr Sherman. Can one man be trusted better than all the others if they all agree ? This, was neither wise nor safe. He disapproved of Judges meddling in politics and parties. We have gone far enough in forming the negative as it now stands. Mr. Carrol- when the negative to be overruled by ? only was agreed to, the q?orsm was not fixed. He remarked that as a majority was now to be the quorum, I7, in the larger, and 8 in the smaller house might carry points. The Advan- tage that might be taken o� this seemed to call for greater impediments to improper laws. He thought the controuling power however of the Executive could not be well decided, till it was seen how the formation of that department would be finally regulated. He wished the consideration of the matter to be postponed. Mr. Ghorum saw no end to these difficulties and postpone- ments. Some could not agree to the form of Government before the powers were defined. Others could not agree to the powers till it was seen how the Government was to be formed. He thought a majority as large a quorum as was necessary. It was the quorum almost every where fixt in the U. States. Mr. Wilson; after viewing the subject with all the coolness and attention possible was most apprehensive of a dissolution of the Govt from the legislature swallowing up all the other powers. He remarked that the prejudices agst the Executive

  • The Executive consists at this time of abt. 2o members.