Constitutional Convention, Week of 23 July 1787

Journal of the federal convention Monday July 23rd, 1787

The honorable John Langdon and Nicholas Gillman Esquires, deputies from the state of New Hampshire, attended and took their seats

The following credentials were produced and read.

(Here insert the credentials of the deputies of the state of New Hampshire)

On the question to agree to the 17th resolution, as reported from the committee of the whole house, namely “that provision ought to be made for the amendment of the articles of union, whensoever it shall seem necessary”

It passed unanimously in the affirmative

It was moved and seconded to add after the word “states” in the 18 resolution, the word “and of the national government”

Which passed in the affirmative

On the question to agree to the 18th resolution as amended namely

“That the legislative, executive, and judiciary powers within the several states, and of the national government ought to be bound by oath to support the articles of union”

It passed unanimously in the affirmative

It was moved and seconded to strike the following words out of the 19th resolution reported form the committee of the whole house namely

“to an assembly or assemblies of representatives recommended by the several legislatures, to be expressly chosen by the people to consider and decide thereon”

Which passed in the negative

On the question to agree to the 19th resolution as reported from the committee of the whole house, namely

Resolved that the amendments which shall be offered to the confederation by the convention ought at a proper time or times after the approbation of congress to be submitted to an assembly or assemblies of representatives, recommended by the several legislatures, to be expressly chosen by the people to consider and decide thereon

It pass in the affirmative

It was moved and seconded to agree to the following resolution, namely

Resolved that the representation in the second branch of the legislature of the united states consist of [blank] members from each state, who shall vote per capita

It was moved and seconded to fill up the blank with the word “three”

Which passed in the negative

It was moved and seconded to fill up the blank with the number “two”

Which was unanimously agreed to

On the question to agree to the resolution as filled up

It passed in the affirmative

It was moved and seconded to reconsider that clause of the [blank] resolution respecting the appointment of the supreme executive

Which passed in the affirmative

And to-morrow was assigned for the reconsideration

[crossed-out] It was moved and seconded to refer the proceedings of the convention to a committee

[crossed-out] Which passed in the affirmative

[side-node] It was moved and seconded that the proceedings of the convention for the establishment of a national government, except what respects the supreme executive, be referred to a committee for the purpose of reporting a constitution conformably to the proceedings aforesaid

[side-note] which passed unanimously in the affirmative

On the question that the committee consist of a member from each state

It passed in the negative

On the question that the committee consist of seven

It passed in the negative

On the question that the committee consist of five

It passed unanimously in the affirmative

And then the house adjourned till to-morrow at 11 o'clock.

[side-node] to-morrow assigned for appointing the committee

Journal of the federal convention Tuesday July 24th 1787

It was moved and seconded to strike the following words out of the [blank] resolution respecting the supreme executive namely “by electors appointed for that purpose by the legislatures of the states” and to insert the words “by the national legislature”

Which passed in the affirmative

It was moved and seconded to strike out the word “six” and to insert the word “fifteen”

It was moved and seconded to postpone the consideration of the resolution respecting the executive

which passed in the negative

It was moved and seconded to agree to the following resolution namely

Resolved that the supreme executive shall be chosen every [blank] years by [blank] electors to be taken by lot from the national legislature; the electors to proceed immediately to the choice of the executive, and not to separate until it be made

The question of order being taken on the last motion – it was determined that the motion is in order

On the question to postpone the consideration of the resolution, it passed unanimously in the affirmative

[side-note] The house then proceeded to ballot for the committee of detail when the honorable Mr. Rutledge, Mr. Randolph, Mr. Gorham, Mr. Ellsworth, and Mr. Wilson were chosen.

It was moved and seconded to discharge the committee of the whole house from acting on the propositions submitted to the convention by the honorable Mr. C. Pinckney – and that the said propositions by referred to the Cmmittee to whom the proceedings of the convention are referred

Which passed unanim in the affirmative

It was moved and seconded to take the like order on the propositions submitted to the convention by the honorable Mr. Paterson

which passed unanim in the affirmative

And then the house adjourned till to-morrow at 11 o'clock a.m.

Journal of the federal convention Wednesday July 25, 1787

It was moved and seconded to agree to the following amendment to the resolution respecting the election of the supreme executive namely

“Except when the magistrate last chosen shall have continued in office the whole term of which he was chosen, and be reeligible in which case the choice shall be by electors appointed for that purpose by the several legislatures”

it passed in the negative

It was moved and seconded to agree to the following amendment to the resolution respecting the supreme executive, namely

“Provided that no person shall be capable of holding the said office for more than six years in any term of twleve”

It was moved and seconded to postpone the consideration of the last amendment

Which passed in the negative

On the question to agree to the amendment

It passed in the negative

It was moved and seconded to refer the resolution respecting the executive (except that clause which provides that it consist of a single person) to the committee of detail

Before a determination was taken on the last motion

The house adjourned till to-morrow at 11 o'clock a.m.

Journal of the federal convention Thursday July 26, 1787

It was moved and seconded to amend the third clause of the resolution respecting the national executive so as to read as follows, namely

“For the term of seven years to be ineligible a second time”

Which passed in the affirmative

On the question to agree to the whole resolution respecting the supreme executive namely

Resolved that a national executive by instituted

• to consist of a single person
• to be chosen by the national legislature
• for the term of seven years
• to be ineligible a second time
• with power to carry into executive the national laws
• to appoint to offices in cases not otherwise provided for
• to be removable on impeachment and conviction of malpractice or neglect of duty
• to receive a fixed compensation for the devotion of his time to public service
• to be paid out of the public treasury

It passed in the affirmative

It was moved and seconded to agree to the following resolution namely

Resolved that it be an instruction oto the committee to whom were referred the proceedings of the convention for the establishment of a national government, to receive a clause or clauses, requiring certain qualifications of landed property and citizenship in the United States for the executive, the judiciary, and the members of both branches of the legislature of the United States; and for disqualifying all such persons as are indebted to, or have unsettled accounts with the United States from being members of either branch of the national legislature.

It was moved and seconded to strike out the word “landed”

It passed in the affirmative

On the question to agree to the clause respecting the qualification as amended

It passed in the affirmative

It was moved and seconded to add the words “and ???sione?? of the Government of the United States” to the clause of disqualification

Which passed in the negative

It was moved and seconded to strike out the following words, namely

“or have unsettled accounts with”

Which passed in the affirmative

On the question to agree to the clause of disqualification as amended

It passed in the negative

It was moved and seconded to agree to the following resolution namely

Resolved that it be an instruction to the committee to whom were referred the proceedings of the convention for the establishment of a national government, to receive a clause or clauses for preventing the seat of the national government being in the same city or town with the seat of government of any state, longer than until the necessary public buildings can be erected.

It was moved and seconded to postpone the consideration of the last resolutions

It was moved and seconded to refer such proceedings of the convention, as have been agreed on since Monday last, to the committee of detail

Which passed unanimously in the affirmative

And then the house adjourned till Monday August 6th.