GENERAL RESOLUTIONS.

AFTER a session of two months, on the 26th of July, the Convention referred the following resolutions to the committee of detail, with instructions to prepare and report a constitution in conformity with them. The Convention then adjourned to the 6th of August, to afford the committee time to perform their duty.

This committee was chosen by ballot, and consisted of Messrs. RUTLEDGE, RANDOLPH, GORHAM, ELLSWORTH, and WILSON.

1. Resolved, That the government of the United States ought to consist of a supreme legislative, judiciary, and executive.

2. Resolved, That the legislature consist of two branches.

3. Resolved, That the members of the first branch of the legislature ought to be elected by the people of the several States for the term of two years; to be paid out of the public treasury; to receive an adequate compensation for their services; to be of the age of twenty-five years at least; to be ineligible to, and incapable of holding, any office under the authority of the United States (except those peculiarly belonging to the functions of the first branch), during the term of service of the first branch.

4. Resolved, That the members of the second branch of the legislature of the United States ought to be chosen by the individual legislatures; to be of the age of thirty years at least; to hold their offices for six years, one third to go out biennially; to receive a compensation for the devotion of their time to the public service; to be ineligible to, and incapable of holding, any office under the authority of the United States (except those peculiarly belonging to the functions of the second branch), during the term for which they were elected, and for one year thereafter.

5. Resolved, That each branch ought to possess the right of originating acts.

6. Resolved, That the national legislature ought to possess the legislative rights vested in Congress by the Confederation; and moreover to legislate in all cases for the general interests of the Union, and also in those to which the States are separately incompetent, or in which the harmony of the United States may be interrupted by the exercise of individual legislation.

7. Resolved, That the legislative acts of the United States, made by virtue and in pursuance of the articles of Union, and all treaties made and ratified under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the respective States, as far as those acts or treaties shall relate to the said States, or their citizens or inhabitants; and that the judiciaries of the several States shall be bound thereby in their decisions, any thing in the respective laws of the individual States notwithstanding.

8. Resolved, That in the original formation of the legislature of the United States, the first branch thereof shall consist of sixtyfive members; of which number,

New Hampshire shall send three,

But as the present situation of the States may probably alter in the number of their inhabitants, the legislature of the United States shall be authorized, from time to time, to apportion the -umber of representatives; and in case any of the States shall

hereafter be divided, or enlarged by addition of territory, or any two or more States united, or any new States created within the limits of the United States, the legislature of the United States shall possess authority to regulate the number of representatives, in any of the foregoing cases, upon the principle of their number of inhabitants, according to the principles hereafter mentioned, namely, — Provided always, that the representation ought to be proportioned to direct taxation. And in order to ascertain the alteration in the direct taxation, which may be required from time to time, by the changes in the relative circumstances of the States,

9. Resolved, That a census be taken within six years from the first meeting of the legislature of the United States, and once within the term of every ten years afterwards, of all the inhabitants of the United States, in the manner and according to the ratio recommended by Congress in their resolution of the 18th of April, 1783; and that the legislature of the United States shall proportion the direct taxation accordingly.

10. Resolved, That all bills for raising or appropriating money, or for fixing the salaries of the officers of the government of the United States, shall originate in the first branch of the legislature of the United States, and shall not be altered or amended by the second branch; and that no money shall be drawn from the public treasury, but in pursuance of appropriations to be originated in the first branch.

11. Resolved, That in the second branch of the legislature of the United States, each State shall have an equal vote.

12. Resolved, That a national executive be instituted, to con sist 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 execution the national laws; to appoint to offices in cases not otherwise provided for; to be removable on impeachment, and conviction of mal-practice or neglect of duty; to receive a fixed compensation for the devotion of his time to the public service, to be paid out of the national treasury.

13. Resolved, That the national executive shall have the right

to negative any legislative act; which shall not be afterwards passed, unless by two third parts of each branch of the national legislature.

14. Resolved, That a national judiciary be established, to consist of one supreme tribunal, the judges of which shall be appointed by the second branch of the national legislature; to hold their offices during good behavior; to receive punctually, at stated times, a fixed compensation for their services, in which no diminution shall be made so as to affect the persons actually in office at the time of such diminution.

15. Resolved, That the national legislature be empowered to appoint inferior tribunals.

16. Resolved, That the jurisdiction of the national judiciary shall extend to cases arising under laws passed by the general legislature; and to such other questions as involve the national peace and harmony.

17. Resolved, That provision ought to be made for the admission of States lawfully arising within the limits of the United States, whether from a voluntary junction of government and territory, or otherwise, with the consent of a number of voices in the national legislature less than the whole.

18. Resolved, That a republican form of government shall be guaranteed to each State; and that each State shall be protected against foreign and domestic violence.

19. Resolved, That provision ought to be made for the amendment of the articles of union, whenever it shall be deemed necessary.

20. Resolved, 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.

21. Resolved, That the amendments which shall be offered to the Confederation by the Convention ought, at 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.

22. Resolved, That the representation in the second branch of the legislature of the United States shall consist of two members from each State, who shall vote per capita.

23. 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, requiring certain qualifications of 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.