Quill
  1. Overview: U.S. Constitutional Convention 1787 (2021 Edition)
  2. Full Record: U.S. Constitutional Convention 1787 (2021 Edition)
  3. Committee:The Convention
  4. Session: 1787-06-19 11:00:00
  5. Event type: CREATE

U.S. Constitutional Convention 1787 (2021 Edition)

Grand Convention at Philadelphia, May to September, 1787, Quill Project 2021 Edition.

The Convention

The main chamber of the Constitutional Convention, consisting of all delegates.

The Committee Secretary's View The Committee Secretary's View

To see the full record of a committee, click on the corresponding committee on the map below.

Document introduced in:

Session 6218: 1787-06-19 11:00:00

Committee of the Whole House reported.

Document View:

Resolutions of the Committee of the Whole House (Amended)

Shown with amendment 'Report of the First Committee on Representation Accepted' (e672887)

(Showing state at moment e673206)
There are 2 proposed amendments related to this document on which decisions have not been taken.
Jump to change 1 Jump to change 2 Jump to change 3 Jump to change 4 Jump to change 5 Jump to change 6 Jump to change 7 Jump to change 8 Jump to change 9 Jump to change 10 Jump to change 11 Jump to change 12 Jump to change 13 Jump to change 14 Jump to change 15 Jump to change 16 Jump to change 17 Jump to change 18 Jump to change 19 Jump to change 20 Jump to change 21 Jump to change 22 Jump to change 23 Jump to change 24 Jump to change 25 Jump to change 26 Jump to change 27 Jump to change 28 Jump to change 29 Jump to change 30 Jump to change 31 Jump to change 32 Jump to change 33 Jump to change 34 Jump to change 35 Jump to change 36 Jump to change 37 Jump to change 38 Jump to change 39 Jump to change 40 Jump to change 41 Jump to change 42 Jump to change 43 Jump to change 44 Jump to change 45 Jump to change 46 Jump to change 47 Jump to change 48 Jump to change 49 Jump to change 50 Jump to change 51 Jump to change 52 Jump to change 53 Jump to change 54 Jump to change 55 Jump to change 56 Jump to change 57 Jump to change 58 Jump to change 59 Jump to change 60 Jump to change 61 Jump to change 62 Jump to change 63 Jump to change 64 Jump to change 65 Jump to change 66 Jump to change 67 Jump to change 68 Jump to change 69 Jump to change 70 Jump to change 71 Jump to change 72 Jump to change 73 Jump to change 74 Jump to change 75 Jump to change 76 Jump to change 77 Jump to change 78 Jump to change 79 Jump to change 80 Jump to change 81 Jump to change 82 Jump to change 83 Jump to change 84 Jump to change 85 Jump to change 86 Jump to change 87 Jump to change 88 Jump to change 89 Jump to change 90 Jump to change 91 Jump to change 92 Jump to change 93 Jump to change 94 Jump to change 95 Jump to change 96 Jump to change 97 Jump to change 98 Jump to change 99 Jump to change 100 Jump to change 101 Jump to change 102 Jump to change 103 Jump to change 104 Jump to change 105 Jump to change 106 Jump to change 107 Jump to change 108 Jump to change 109 Jump to change 110 Jump to change 111 Jump to change 112 Jump to change 113 Jump to change 114 Jump to change 115 Jump to change 116 Jump to change 117 Jump to change 118 Jump to change 119 Jump to change 120 Jump to change 121 Jump to change 122 Jump to change 123 Jump to change 124 Jump to change 125 Jump to change 126 Jump to change 127 Jump to change 128 Jump to change 129 Jump to change 130 Jump to change 131 Jump to change 132

[Resolutions of the Committee of the Whole House as Amended by the Convention]

1. Resolved that the government of the United States ought to consist of a Supreme Legislative, Judiciary, and Executive.

2. Resolved that the Legislature ought to 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 of the age of 25 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.

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 a term of 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 are 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.

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 and 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 to the contrary notwithstanding

7. Resolved that the right of suffrage in the first branch of the national Legislature ought not to be according to the rule established in the articles of confederation, but according to some equitable ratio of representation.

9. Resolved — That in the original forma nation of the Legislature of the United States the first Branch thereof shallal Executive be instituted to consist of sixty five members — of which number

New Hampshire shall send ..... Three

Massachusetts .......................... Eight

Rhode Island ............................. One

Connecticut ............................... Five

New York ................................... Six

New Jersey ............................... Four

Pennsylvania ............................. Eight

Delaware ................................... One

Maryland .................................... Six

Virginia ....................................... Ten

North Carolina .......................... Five

South Carolina .......................... Five

Georgia ...................................... Three.

But as the present situation of the States may probabla Single Person to be chosen by the National Legislature, with power to carry alter in the number ofto effect their inhabitants the Legislature of the United States shall be authorized from time to timelaws; to apportiont the number of representativo offices: and in case any of the States shall hereafter be dis not otherwise provided, 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;

10. Resolved that the national Executive shall possess authohave a righty to rnegulate the number of representive any legislatives: in any of the foregoing cases upon the principle of their number of inhabitants, according to the provisions hereafter mentioned, namely,

Provided always that representation oughtct, which shall not be afterwards passed unless by two be proporthioned according to direct Taxation; and in order to ascertain the alteration in parts of each Branch of the direct Taxnation, which may be required from time to time by the changes in the relative circumstances of the States —al Legislature.

11. Resolved tThat 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 April 18. 1783 — and thatnational Judiciary be established to consist of One supreme Tribunal, the LegislatureJudges of the United States shall prowhich to be apportionted by the dirsect Taxation accordingly. That fromd Branch of the first meeting of theNational Legislature of the Uniteto hold States until a Census shall be taken, all monies for supplying the publOffic Treasury by direct Taxation shall be raised from the several States according to the number of their representatives respectively in the first Branch.

Resolved That all Bills for raising or appropriating money,uring good behaviour; to receive, punctually, at stated times and for fixing the salaries of the Officers of the Government of the United States shall origined compensate ion the first Branch offor the Legislature of the United States, and shall not be altered or amended by the secir services: in which no diminutiond Branch — and that no money shall be drawn from the Public Treasury but in pursuance ofmade so appropriations to be originated by the first Branch.

8. Resolved Thaaffect in the second Branch of the Legislature of the United Statepersons each State shall have an equal vote.

9. Resolved That a national Executive be institutedtually in office ; with power to consist of arry Single Person; to be chosen by efthe national Legislature; forfect the term of snational laws;even years, to be ineligible a second time; with power to carry into effect 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 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 consistterm 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 diminution shall be made so as to affect the persons actually in office at the tisix years,me of such 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 arising under laws passed by the general Legislature, and to such other questions as 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.

16. 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.

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 and of the national Government 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.

Resolved that the representation in the second Branch of the Legislature of the United States consist of Two Members from each State, who shall vote per capita.

Decisions yet to be taken

Document Timeline

Other Actions

View text build components