Persuading The Delegates: Vote For Constitution

The United States Constitution was signed by 39 of the 55 delegates who attended the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Benjamin Franklin summed up the views of the delegates, many of whom were not completely satisfied with the document, by saying, I confess that there are several parts of this Constitution which I do not at present approve, but I am not sure I shall never approve them. The delegates debated contentious issues such as slavery, the inclusion of a bill of rights, and the question of how the states were to be represented in Congress. The Constitution was a bundle of compromises that were designed to meet certain specific needs and to remedy the defects experienced under the Articles of Confederation.

Explore related products

The Constitution of the United States and The Declaration of Independence

$1.99 $6.95

The Constitution of the United States

$1.5

Constitution of the United States and The Declaration of Independence: Senator Rand Paul, Delegates of The Constitutional Convention

$2.99 $2.99

Constitution of the United States: US Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights with Amendments. Pocket Size

$8.99 $2.79

La Constitución de los Estados Unidos (Pocket Constitution, Spanish Translation) (Spanish Edition)

$1.5

Constitution of the United States: US Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights with Amendments. Pocket Size

$1.1 $9.99

Benjamin Franklin's measured support

Benjamin Franklin, one of America's most influential Founding Fathers, offered his cautious and measured support for the new Constitution at the Philadelphia convention in September 1787. Franklin, in his old age, expressed doubt about his judgment and said he was more inclined to respect the opinions of others. He believed that the general opinion of the goodness of a government, as well as the wisdom and integrity of its governors, was crucial for its strength and efficiency.

Franklin's support for the Constitution was not without hesitation. He acknowledged that there were parts of the Constitution that he did not approve of, but he left room for the possibility that his opinion might change in the future. He said, "I confess that there are several parts of this Constitution which I do not at present approve, but I am not sure I shall never approve them." Franklin's measured support is evident in his recognition of the imperfections of the Constitution while still signing it, hoping that it would lead to a stronger and more unified nation.

Franklin's famous quote, "Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives," highlights his belief in the importance of knowledge and learning from one's enemies. He also emphasized the value of freedom and liberty, stating that liberty could be endangered by both the abuse of liberty and the abuse of power.

Franklin's speech at the Constitutional Convention included an anecdote about a sun painted on the back of Washington's chair. He observed that painters struggled to distinguish between a rising and setting sun in their art. Franklin related this to the uncertainties he faced during the Convention, but ultimately concluded that the sun was rising, symbolizing his hope for the nation's future.

James Madison's Virginia Plan

James Madison, a delegate from Virginia, believed that the solution to America's problems was to be found in a strong central government. He drafted the Virginia Plan in consultation with members of the Virginia and Pennsylvania delegations, including Virginia's governor, Edmund Randolph. The Virginia Plan was presented to the Constitutional Convention of 1787 in Philadelphia, setting the agenda for debate and ultimately forming the foundation of the US Constitution.

The Virginia Plan called for a supreme national government with three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. It proposed a bicameral legislature, with two houses. The first branch would be elected by the people of the several states for three-year terms, compensated with fixed stipends from the National Treasury, and ineligible for any office established by a particular state or under the authority of the United States during their term of service. The second branch would be chosen by the individual legislatures, with members aged at least thirty years old and holding office for seven-year terms to ensure their independence.

The Virginia Plan also addressed the issue of representation in Congress, proposing that representation ought to be apportioned by population, with more populous states having more votes than less populous states. This was a radical departure from the Articles of Confederation, where each state received one vote. The Plan further suggested that representation could be based on "quotas of contribution", reflecting a state's wealth as measured by taxes paid, or the number of free inhabitants.

The Virginia Plan faced opposition and sparked fierce debates, particularly around the issue of representation. Representatives from small states believed that representation based on population would destroy their state's rights and empower large states disproportionately. Amendments and compromises were made to the Plan throughout the convention, and it eventually gave way to the Connecticut Compromise, also known as the Great Compromise. This final document incorporated elements from the New Jersey Plan, which had been proposed to protect small state interests, including the three-fifths rule for determining taxation and representation.

Connecticut Compromise

The Connecticut Compromise, also known as the Great Compromise of 1787 or Sherman Compromise, was an agreement reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that defined the legislative structure and representation each state would have under the United States Constitution.

The Compromise retained the bicameral legislature as proposed by Roger Sherman, along with proportional representation of the states in the lower house or House of Representatives. It also required the upper house or Senate to be weighted equally among the states, with each state having two members in the Senate. This was proposed to resolve the dispute between small and large states over representation in the new federal government.

The Connecticut Compromise was offered by Connecticut delegates Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth. The compromise provided for a bicameral federal legislature that used a dual system of representation. The delegates from small states believed that representation based on population would destroy their state's rights. David Brearley of New Jersey said that representation based on population was "unfair and unjust". On the other hand, delegates from large states argued that only representation based on population would be fair. James Wilson of Pennsylvania, one of the three big states, said that for New Jersey, a state with about a third of Pennsylvania's population, to have the same number of votes as Pennsylvania, "I say no! It is unjust."

The Compromise allowed deliberations to continue and thus led to the Three-fifths Compromise, which further complicated the issue of popular representation in the House. The Three-fifths Compromise stated that the number of each state's representatives would be based on the state's total white population plus three-fifths of its slave population.

Benjamin Franklin summed up the views of the delegates who signed the Constitution, saying, "I confess that there are several parts of this Constitution which I do not at present approve, but I am not sure I shall never approve them." Franklin also said, "Our new Constitution is now established, and everything seems to promise that it will be durable; but, in this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes."

Explore related products

The Constitution of the United States and The Declaration of Independence pack of 25 booklets

$36.99 $50

The Anti-Federalist Papers and the Constitutional Convention Debates (Signet Classics)

$8.32 $8.95

The Constitutional Convention: A Narrative History from the Notes of James Madison (Modern Library Classics)

$13.65 $22

Pocket Constitution (Text from the U.S. Bicentennial Commission Edition) by Delegates of the Constitutional Convention (2005-01-01)

$23

Pocket Constitution (Text from the U.S. Bicentennial Commission Edition) (Edition 2) by Delegates of the Constitutional Convention [Paperback(2005£©]

$11.94

Democracy Has Prevailed: Speeches Given at the Inauguration of President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.

$7.99

George Mason's Bill of Rights proposal

George Mason was a delegate from Virginia who refused to sign the United States Constitution in 1787. He objected to the Constitution on several grounds, including the absence of a bill of rights, the creation of a federal government that he believed could become too powerful, and the failure to end the slave trade. Mason proposed that a bill of rights should preface the Constitution, but his proposal was defeated.

Mason's proposal for a Bill of Rights was influenced by the Enlightenment philosopher John Locke's writings. He believed that a republic must begin with a legally binding commitment to the inalienable rights of individuals, which would be superior to any government. Mason's proposal included several rights that he believed were essential to protect and secure for the people.

The first right proposed by Mason was that all freemen have inherent rights that cannot be taken away from them or their descendants. These rights included life, liberty, the ability to acquire and protect property, and the pursuit of happiness and safety. The second right stated that all power is derived from the people and that magistrates are their trustees and agents, accountable to the people.

Mason's proposal also included the right of the people to participate in the legislature, which he saw as the foundation of liberty and free governments. He advocated for free and frequent elections, with suffrage extended to all men who had sufficient evidence of permanent common interest with the community. Additionally, he proposed that no laws could be suspended or executed without the consent of the people's representatives in the legislature.

Furthermore, Mason's proposal included rights related to criminal prosecutions. He stated that an accused person has the right to know the nature of their accusation, to confront accusers and witnesses, to call for evidence, and to have counsel in their favour. He also advocated for a fair and speedy trial by an impartial jury, and that no Freeman could be imprisoned, deprived of their liberties or property, or exiled without a law of the land.

Popular election of the president

The United States Constitution was signed by 39 of the 55 delegates who attended the Constitutional Convention of 1787, with many of those who refused to sign objecting to the lack of a bill of rights. Benjamin Franklin, in support of the new Constitution, gave a persuasive speech, stating:

> I confess that I do not entirely approve of this Constitution as established, but I suspect that my reluctance is due to my advanced age, and that I am more inclined to doubt my own judgment rather than that of others.

The delegates' commitment to the principles of equality was limited, even in the case of free white adult males. Most supported the imposition of property qualifications for voters in their individual states. The delegates also enshrined the institution of slavery within the new Constitution.

The delegates debated the question of how the states were to be represented in Congress. Should all the states have the same number of votes, or should each state's number of votes depend on the size of its population (or wealth)? This issue blocked the proceedings for many weeks. Representatives from small states believed that representation based on population would destroy their state's rights.

Roger Sherman of Connecticut distrusted the notion of democracy, stating that people "should have as little to do as may be about government" because they are "constantly liable to be misled." James Wilson of Pennsylvania, one of the three big states, argued that only representation based on population would be fair.

On June 7, 1787, the delegates approved a motion for the election of senators by state legislatures. State legislatures continued to elect senators until the adoption of the Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution in 1913, which provided for the popular election of senators.

James Madison and others continued to press their case for proportional representation in the Senate and to oppose a House monopoly on revenue bills, while some small-state delegates were reluctant even to support proportional representation in the House. On July 16, delegates narrowly adopted the mixed representation plan giving states equal votes in the Senate.

The delegates also debated the popular election of the president. James Wilson proposed that the executive branch could only be given energy and independence through some form of popular election. However, realizing that his idea was gaining no favour, he proposed a compromise by which the president would be elected by a group of "electors" chosen either by the state legislatures or by the people of their individual states. The delegates voted against this proposal on numerous occasions between early June and early September of 1787, only agreeing to the version contained in the modern Constitution (modified slightly by the Twelfth Amendment) out of desperation, as the least problematic of the alternatives.

Frequently asked questions