388 I?ECORDS OF THE FEDERAL CONVENTION Thur.?day MADISON Augu.rt 2 3 no. Va ay. N--C--ay. S.C. ay. Geo. ay. [Ayes-- 9 noes -- ?.] 1V?r. Madison moved to amend the next part of the clause so as to read "reserving to the States respectively, the appoint- ment of the officers, under the rank of General offcers." Mr. Sherman considered this as absolutely inadmissible. Fie said that if the people should be so far asleep as to allow the Most influential officers of the Militia to be appointed by the Oenh Governments every man of discernment would rouse them by sounding the alarm to them-- Mr. Gerry. Let us at once destroy the State Govts have an Executive for life or hereditary, and a proper Senate, and then there would be some conslstenc� in giving full powers to the Genl Govt. but as the States are not to be abolished, he wondered at the attempts that were made to give powers inconsistent with their existence. He warned the Convention agst pushing the experiment too far. Some people will sup- port a plan of vigorous Government at every risk. Others of a more democratic cast will oppose it with equal determina- tion. And a Civil war may be produced by the conflict. Mr. Madison. As the greatest danger is that of disunion of the States, it is necessary to guard agst. it by sufficient powers to the Common Govt. and as the greatest danger to liberty is from large standing armies, it is best to prevent them by an effectual provision for a good Militia-- On the Question to agree to Mr. Madison's motion N-- H-- ay -- Mas-- no-- Ct no-- N-- J-- no-- Pa no-- Del-- no-- Md no-- Va no-- N-- C-- no-- S-- C-- ay-- Geo -- *ay. [Ayes -- 3; noes -- 8.] On the question to agree to the "reserving to the States the appointment of the officers ". It was agreed to nem; contrad: On the question on the clause "and the authority of train- ing the Militia according to the discipline prescribed b 7 the U.S"? N.H. ay. Mas. ay. Ct. a�--N--J? ay. Pa. ay--Del. no. Md. ay. Va. no---N--C. ay. S. C. no. Geo. no--[Ayes ? 7; noes
- (In the printed Journal-Oeo: no)
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