Randolph's Refusal: The Constitution's Missing Signature

Edmund Randolph, a Founding Father of the United States, refused to sign the Constitution because he believed it lacked sufficient checks and balances. He thought the federal judiciary would threaten state courts, and considered the Senate too powerful and Congress's powers too broad. He also objected to the absence of a provision for a second convention. Randolph played a significant role in drafting the Constitution, proposing the Virginia Plan as a delegate from Virginia, which was revised into the final draft of the U.S. Constitution. However, he did not sign it as he wanted increased protections for individuals and a weaker central government.

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Randolph believed the federal judiciary would threaten state courts

Edmund Randolph, a Founding Father of the United States, attorney, and the seventh Governor of Virginia, refused to sign the US Constitution because he believed the federal judiciary would threaten state courts.

Randolph played a significant role in the drafting of the US Constitution. He was a delegate from Virginia to the Constitutional Convention and introduced the Virginia Plan, which served as the basis for much of the Constitution. The Virginia Plan proposed a strong central government and the protection of individual rights. It also suggested a bicameral legislature, with delegates chosen based on state population.

However, despite his involvement in the drafting process, Randolph ultimately refused to sign the final document. One of his main objections was that he believed the federal judiciary, established by Article III of the US Constitution, would threaten state courts. He thought the federal court system gave too much power to the Senate and Congress, and he wanted increased protections for individuals and states.

Randolph also objected to the lack of a provision for a second convention to act after the present instrument had been referred to the states. He believed that it would be easier to amend the Constitution before its ratification than to assemble the votes of three-fourths of the states after it had been adopted.

Despite his initial refusal to sign, Randolph ultimately voted for ratification of the Constitution in 1788 because eight other states had already done so, and he did not want Virginia to be left out of the new national government. He became the first United States Attorney General in 1789 and worked closely with Congress and the President on key issues, including the establishment of the federal judicial system and the ratification of the Bill of Rights.

Randolph considered the Senate too powerful

Edmund Randolph, a Founding Father of the United States, attorney, and the seventh Governor of Virginia, refused to sign the US Constitution because he considered the Senate too powerful.

Randolph played a significant role in the drafting of the Constitution. As a delegate from Virginia to the Constitutional Convention, he introduced the Virginia Plan, which served as the basis for much of the Constitution and laid the groundwork for the creation of a strong national government. The Virginia Plan also proposed a bicameral legislature, with both houses having delegates chosen based on state population.

However, Randolph ultimately did not sign the final document, believing that it lacked sufficient checks and balances. He thought that the federal judiciary would threaten state courts, and he considered the Senate too powerful, with Congress's power too broad. He also objected to the lack of a provision for a second convention to act after the present instrument had been referred to the states.

Randolph published an account of his objections in October 1787. Despite his initial refusal to sign, he eventually voted for the ratification of the Constitution in 1788 because he did not want Virginia to be left out of the new national government. He became the first United States Attorney General in 1789 under President Washington.

Randolph believed Congress's power was too broad

Edmund Randolph, a Founding Father of the United States, refused to sign the Constitution because he believed Congress's power was too broad. He argued that the federal judiciary would threaten state courts and considered the Senate too powerful. He wanted increased protections for individuals and believed that the final document lacked sufficient checks and balances.

Randolph played a significant role in drafting the original constitution. As a delegate from Virginia, he introduced the Virginia Plan, which served as the basis for much of the Constitution and advocated for a strong central government. The Virginia Plan proposed a bicameral legislature, with delegates chosen based on state population. It also suggested the establishment of a national judiciary branch, which was unanimously approved by the convention's delegates.

Despite his initial refusal to sign, Randolph ultimately voted for the ratification of the Constitution in 1788. By this time, eight other states had already ratified it, and he did not want Virginia to be left out of the new national government. He believed that Virginia had to choose between ratification and disunion, and he did not doubt the union's advantages.

Randolph's change of position caused resentment among some of his peers, including Mason, one of the leaders of the opposition. Mason and other opponents demanded amendments before ratification. However, Randolph argued that it would be easier to amend the Constitution before its ratification when a majority might do so than to ratify an imperfect Constitution and then assemble the votes of three-fourths of the states. He did not want the people to become accustomed to altering their constitution regularly once it was adopted.

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Randolph wanted increased protections for individuals

Edmund Randolph, a Founding Father of the United States, attorney, and the seventh Governor of Virginia, refused to sign the US Constitution because he wanted increased protections for individuals. He believed that the federal judiciary would threaten state courts, and considered the Senate too powerful and Congress's powers too broad. He also objected to the lack of a provision for a second convention to act after the present instrument had been referred to the states.

Randolph played a significant role in drafting the Constitution. He helped propose the Virginia Plan as a delegate from Virginia, which served as the basis for much of the Constitution and laid the groundwork for the creation of a strong national government. The Virginia Plan also proposed a bicameral legislature, with delegates chosen based on state population.

Despite his refusal to sign the final document, Randolph ultimately voted for the ratification of the Constitution because eight other states had already done so, and he did not want Virginia to be left out of the new national government. He believed that Virginia must choose between the stark alternatives of ratification and disunion. Randolph never doubted the union's advantages.

Randolph's refusal to sign the Constitution highlights his commitment to ensuring that the document adequately protected individual rights. He recognized the importance of a strong central government but also wanted to ensure that the federal government's powers were balanced by strong state courts and adequate checks and balances. His objections to the lack of a provision for a second convention also underscored his desire for a more robust system of protections and balances within the government.

Randolph believed Virginia must choose between ratification and disunion

Edmund Randolph, a Founding Father of the United States, refused to sign the final US Constitution document. He was one of only three members who remained in the Constitutional Congress but did not sign. The other two were his fellow Virginian George Mason and Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts.

Randolph believed that the federal government outlined in the Constitution was too strong, calling it "the foetus of a monarchy". He thought the final document lacked sufficient checks and balances and published an account of his objections in October 1787. He believed the federal judiciary would threaten state courts, and he considered the Senate too powerful and Congress's power too broad.

Randolph initially refused to sign because he wanted increased protections for individuals and did not want Virginia to be left out of the new government. He believed Virginia must choose between the stark alternatives of ratification and disunion. He did not want to see his home state excluded from the new national government, especially as eight other states had already ratified the Constitution by June 2, 1788.

Randolph ultimately voted for ratification of the Constitution, pointing the way to an understanding of ratification with which Virginia's leaders could be satisfied. He assured his fellow members of the Virginia political elite that the Constitution was more of a league of sovereign states than a consolidated union.

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