IN THE HOUSE.

Mr. President resumed the chair.

Mr. Gorham reported from the committee, That the committee, having spent some time in the consideration of the propositions submitted to the house by the honourable Mr. Patterson, and of the resolutions heretofore reported from a committee of the whole house, both of which had been to them referred, were prepared to report thereon; and had directed him to report to the house,

That the committee do not agree to the propositions offered by the honourable Mr. Patterson; and that they again submit the resolutions, formerly reported, to the consideration of the house.

STATE OF THE RESOLUTIONS

SUBMITTED TO THE CONSIDERATION OF THE HOUSE BY THE HONOURABLE MR. RANDOLPH, AS ALTERED, AMENDED, AND AGREED TO, IN COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE HOUSE.

*

1. Resolved, That it is the opinion of this com mittee that a national government ought to be estab lished consisting of a Supreme Legislative, Judiciary, and Executive.

2. Resolved, That the national legislature ought to consist of two branches.

* Paper deposited by President Washington in the Department of State.

3. Resolved, That the members of the first branch of the national legislature ought to be elected by the people of the several states for the term of three years; to receive fixed stipends, by which they may be compensated for the devotion of their time to publick service, to be paid out of the national treasury; to be ineligible to any office established by a particular state, or under the authority of the United States (except those peculiarly belonging to the functions of the first branch) during the term of service, and under the national government, for the space of one year after its expiration.

4. Resolved, That the members of the second branch of the national legislature ought to be chosen by the individual legislatures; to be of the age of thirty years at least; to hold their offices for a term sufficient to insure their independency, namely, seven years; to receive fixed stipends, by which they may be compensated for the devotion of their time to publick service, to be paid out of the national treasury; to be ineligible to any office, established by a particular state, or under the authority of the United States, (except those peculiarly belonging to the functions of the second branch) during the term of service, and under the national government, for the space of one year after its expiration.

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

6. Resolved, That the national legislature ought to be empowered to enjoy the legislative rights vested in Congress by the confederation; and, moreover, to legislate in all cases to which the separate states are incompetent, or in which the harmony of the United

States may be interrupted by the exercise of individual legislation to negative all laws passed by the several states contravening, in the opinion of the national legislature, the articles of union, or any treaties sub sisting under the authority of the union.

7. Resolved, That the right of suffrage in the first branch of the national legislature ought not to be aè cording to the rule established in the articles of con federation, but according to some equitable ratio of representation, hamely, In proportion to the whole number of white and other free citizens, and inhabitants of every age, sex, and condition, including those bound to servitude for a term of years, and three fifths of all other persons not comprehended in the foregoing description, except Indians not paying taxes in each

state.

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8. Resolved, That the rights of suffrage in the second branch of the national legislatore ought to be according to the rule éstablished for the first.

9. Resolved, That à national executive be insti tuted to consist of a single person; to be chosen by the national legislature, for the term of seven years; With power to carry into execution the national laws; to appoint to offices in cases not otherwise provided for; to be ineligible à second time; and to be removable on impeachment, and conviction of mal practice, or neglect of duty; to receive a fixed stipend, by which he may be compensated for the dévotion of his time to publick service, to be paid out of the national treasury.

10. Resolved, That the national executive shall have a right to negative any legislative act, which

shall not be afterwards passed, unless by two third parts of each branch of the national legislature.

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

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

13. Resolved, That the jurisdiction of the national judiciary shall extend to cases which respect the collection of the national revenue; impeachment of any national officers; and questions which involve the national peace and harmony..

14. 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.

15. Resolved, That provision ought to be made for the continuance of Congress and their authorities, until a given day after the reform of the articles of union shall be adopted; and for the completion of all their engagements.

16. Resolved, That a republican constitution, and its existing laws, ought to be guarantied to each state by the United States.

17. Resolved, That provision ought to be made for the amendment of the articles of union, whensoever it shall seem necessary.

18. Resolved, That the legislative, executive, and judiciary powers, within the several states, ought to be bound, by oath, to support the articles of union.

19. 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 was then moved and seconded, to postpone the consideration of the first resolution reported from the Committee till to-morrow.

And on the question to postpone,

It passed in the affirmative.

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

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 1787.

The honourable William Blount, Esq. a deputy from the state of North Carolina, attended and took his seat.

The following credentials were then produced and read. [See p. 45.]

It was moved by Mr. Ellsworth, seconded by Mr. Gorham, to amend the first resolution reported from the committee of the whole house, so as to read as follows, namely,