Luther Martin (MD) continued his reasoning as to why government should be formed for the states and not individuals. If states were represented according to a population ratio, it would not matter whether the reps were chosen by legislatures or directly by the people, for the small states would be equally enslaved. If all of the states had identical interests, there could be no danger in equal suffrage. However, if interests differed, the small states had everything to fear from the larger states. It would be silly for the convention to send such a plan, for state political leaders would easily convince the people to refuse it.
He would rather witness the dissolution of the Confederacy than submit to the current plan.
John Lansing (NY) moved Resolution 7 to read, “The rights of suffrage in the 1st. branch ought to be according to the rule established by the Confederation.” (The word “not” was removed to provide equality of State representation.)
Jonathan Dayton (NJ) asked to delay the question until tomorrow; Governor William Livingston (NJ) was ill, and the NJ delegation was suspended.
Hugh Williamson (NC) predicted if the small states got their way, they would throw expenses onto the large states. He also predicted the new western states would be small and poor and would do much the same.
(Arguments are becoming repetitive and hostile)
James Madison (VA) reminded the convention that Mr. Brearly and Mr. Patterson (NJ) admitted their plan was unjust on the point of representation. Mr. Madison drew an analogy of representation of counties within the States, which was done by ratio of population. Will not Large States have more at stake in the new system than in the old? The negative on state laws will make Congress a branch of the state governments and therefore, Congress should be composed on a similar basis, i.e. by proportion of population. What did VA, MA, PA have in common aside from size? Are not their interests just as similar or dissimilar as those of smaller states?
(Here is new tack from Mr. Madison)
In the way of manners, religion, staple productions (tobacco, fish, flour) they were as dissimilar as any three states in the Union.
If the large states were intent to combine against the smaller, why had they not done so?
The opposite lesson was true. Powerful people and states tend to compete rather than combine. Rome and Carthage tore each other to pieces rather than ally to devour the world. He offered other examples. One of which was the rivalry between England and France, to which Americans owed their freedom. History showed single, powerful states to be more of a threat to neighbors. An extensive history lesson followed.
The two extremes are perfect separation or perfect incorporation. In the first, the States are independent countries; in the second the States are but counties in one republic, subject to a common law in all things. In the first, Small States could expect attack from the larger and none in the latter. It is in the interests of the Small States to approximate the condition of counties.
James Wilson (PA) insulted equality of Small State suffrage by comparing them to the “rotten” borough of Old Sarum, which had no population but half the representation of London in Parliament.
Roger Sherman (CN) next displayed the skills of an eloquent philosopher whom I will not attempt to summarize. Read him. As a result, the question to remove the word, “not” was postponed.
Dr. Benjamin Franklin (PA) saw the impending breakdown of the Convention. He asked, “And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid?” He motioned to start each session with prayer.
Roger Sherman (CN) seconded.
Alexander Hamilton (NY) and others dissented. The fact was there were no funds to pay for a preacher’s daily prayer. What a country under the Articles.
Governor Edmund Randolph asked for prayer on July 4th and prayer every morning thereafter. The Convention adjourned before a vote was taken on the measure.
Constitutional Convention Ping!
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Yeah, we're so much better off now, about to default! lol
