Edmund Randolph: The Constitution's Key Contributor

Edmund Randolph was a Virginia lawyer who played a crucial role in drafting and ratifying the U.S. Constitution. As a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, he introduced the influential Virginia Plan, which outlined a new national government with a bicameral legislature and a strong central government. Despite being a slave owner himself, Randolph argued against the importation of enslaved people. He also advocated for a plan with three chief executives and a national judiciary, which was unanimously supported. Randolph served on the Committee of Detail, tasked with converting the Virginia Plan's resolutions into a first draft of the Constitution. However, he refused to sign the final document due to his concerns about individual rights and state protections, publishing an account of his objections. Later, Randolph reversed his position and supported the Constitution's ratification, influencing Virginia's approval. He went on to serve in President Washington's administration as Attorney General and Secretary of State, contributing significantly to the nation's structure and its relationship with the states.

Explore related products

Declaration Of Independence, Constitution Of The United States Of America, Bill Of Rights, Constitutional Amendments 11 - 27, Articles of Confederation, Gettysburg Address, Emancipation Proclamation

$1.99

The Constitution of the United States of America: The Declaration of Independence, The Bill of Rights

$9.99 $9.99

The Fate of the Revolution: Virginians Debate the Constitution (Witness to History)

$9.99 $17.99

Fitz Randolph: Traditions, a Genealogy and Family History of a Thousand Years

$10.59 $11.98

The Randolph Family of England, Scotland and Virginia, History and Genealogy: Volume 1 (The Randoph Family of England, Scotland, Continental Europe and Virginia)

$37.65

The Randolph Collection: Great Messages to the Youth of America: A Letter to the Youth of America

$44.99

Edmund Randolph's introduction of the Virginia Plan

Edmund Randolph was a lawyer from Virginia who played a crucial role in drafting and ratifying the U.S. Constitution. He was born into a prominent Virginia family in 1753 and studied law after graduating from the College of William and Mary. During the American Revolution, Randolph, unlike his Loyalist father, joined the war effort as an aide-de-camp to General George Washington. Following the war, he held various political positions, including Mayor of Williamsburg, Governor of Virginia, and Delegate to the Continental Congress.

As a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1787, Edmund Randolph introduced the Virginia Plan, also known as the Randolph Plan or the Large-State Plan. The Virginia Plan was a proposed plan of government for the United States, which called for the creation of a supreme national government with three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The legislative branch was to consist of two chambers, with representation in each state proportional to their population or "quotas of contribution." This idea of population-weighted representation was a significant departure from the Articles of Confederation, which gave each state equal representation.

The Virginia Plan addressed five specific defects that Randolph identified in the Articles of Confederation:

• It provided no security against foreign invasion;
• It did not empower Congress to resolve disputes between states;
• It did not empower Congress to enact beneficial commercial legislation;
• It did not protect the power of the federal government from encroachment by the states;
• It was not regarded as the paramount authority, superior to the states' own constitutions.

Randolph's plan proposed a remedy that he believed conformed to the republican principle. It included five key provisions for the legislative branch:

• The people of each state ought to elect the First Branch of the National Legislature;
• The Second Branch of the National Legislature ought to be elected by the first branch, chosen from a pool of candidates nominated by the state legislatures;
• States would send representatives to Congress based on a rule of proportion, rather than each state having an equal number;
• The National Legislature would have the power to legislate in all areas where the separate states were incompetent;
• The National Legislature would also have the power to veto state laws that contravened the articles of Union.

The Virginia Plan set the agenda for debate at the Constitutional Convention and influenced the final draft of the U.S. Constitution. However, it is important to note that Randolph did not sign the Constitution's final draft as he desired increased protections for individuals and states' rights, and not all of his proposals were included in the final document.

Randolph's refusal to sign the final document

Edmund Randolph was a Founding Father of the United States, a lawyer, and the seventh Governor of Virginia. He played an important role in drafting and ratifying the U.S. Constitution. As a delegate from Virginia to the Constitutional Convention, he introduced the Virginia Plan, which outlined a new national government.

However, Randolph refused to sign the final document, becoming one of only three members of the Constitutional Congress who did not. The other two were his fellow Virginian, George Mason, and Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts. Randolph's primary objection to the final document was that it lacked sufficient checks and balances. He believed that the federal judiciary would threaten state courts, and he considered the Senate too powerful and Congress's powers too broad. He also objected to the absence of a provision for a second convention to act after the present instrument had been referred to the states.

In October 1787, Randolph published an account of his objections. He wanted increased protections for individuals and did not agree with all the revisions made to the original Virginia Plan. He believed that the government outlined in the Constitution was too strong, calling it "the foetus of a monarchy."

Despite his initial refusal to sign, Randolph reversed his position at the Virginia Ratifying Convention in 1788. He used his influence to bring about Virginia's ratification of the Constitution, which was secured by just five votes. President George Washington rewarded Randolph for his support, appointing him the first Attorney General of the United States in September 1789.

Randolph's role in the drafting of the Constitution

Edmund Randolph was a Virginia lawyer who played an important role in drafting and ratifying the U.S. Constitution. He was born in 1753 to a prominent Virginia family. He pursued a career in law and served as an aide-de-camp to General George Washington during the American Revolution. After the war, Randolph became Mayor of Williamsburg and a delegate to the Continental Congress. He was also elected Governor of Virginia in 1786.

Randolph's most significant contribution to the drafting of the Constitution was as a delegate from Virginia to the Constitutional Convention in 1787, where he introduced the Virginia Plan. The Virginia Plan was an outline for a new national government, proposing a legislative branch consisting of two chambers, with each state represented in proportion to its population. The Virginia Plan also advocated for a strong central government and a national judiciary, which was eventually established as the federal court system under Article III of the U.S. Constitution. Randolph was a member of the Committee of Detail, which was tasked with converting the Virginia Plan's resolutions into a first draft of the Constitution.

Despite his initial support for the Virginia Plan, Randolph did not sign the final draft of the Constitution. He felt that it did not provide enough protection for the rights of states and individuals, and that it lacked sufficient checks and balances. Randolph published an account of his objections in October 1787, specifically targeting the power of the federal judiciary, the Senate, and Congress. He also objected to the lack of a provision for a second convention after the present instrument had been referred to the states.

However, Randolph ultimately supported the Constitution's ratification. At the Virginia Ratifying Convention in 1788, he used his influence to secure Virginia's approval of the document. He argued that the accession of eight states left the remaining states with only the option of Union or no Union. Randolph's support for ratification was rewarded by President Washington, who appointed him as the first Attorney General of the United States in 1789.

Explore related products

The Lost History of Randolph County, Missouri: VolumeTwo

$11.99 $11.99

Early History of Randolph County Arkansas

$24.5

Randolph-Macon College (Campus History)

$12.99 $24.99

History of Randolph County

$43.84

History of Randolph County, Indiana With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of its Prominent men and Pioneers: To Which are Appended Maps of its Several Townships

$43.95

History of Randolph-Macon College, Virginia

$9.49

Randolph's influence on Virginia's ratification of the Constitution

Edmund Randolph was a Virginia lawyer who played a significant role in drafting and ratifying the U.S. Constitution. He was born into a prominent Virginia family in 1753 and pursued a career in law after graduating from the College of William and Mary.

However, despite his initial support for the Virginia Plan, Randolph did not sign the final draft of the Constitution. He desired increased protections for individuals and states' rights, which he believed were insufficient in the final document. Nonetheless, at the Virginia Ratifying Convention in 1788, Randolph used his influence to bring about Virginia's ratification of the Constitution. He stated that the accession of eight states had simplified the debate to a choice between Union or no Union, and his tactics swayed five of the ten delegates with unknown views to vote for ratification.

Ultimately, Virginia's Federalists secured the Constitution's ratification by a margin of five votes. Randolph's support for ratification was rewarded by President Washington, who appointed him as the first Attorney General of the United States in 1789.

Randolph's political career and relationship with George Washington

Edmund Randolph was born on August 10, 1753, into a prominent Virginia family. He joined the Continental Army as an aide-de-camp to General George Washington in 1775, despite having little military training. He presented himself at Washington's headquarters with letters of introduction from influential Virginians, including Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson, who vouched for his abilities and desire to serve his country.

Randolph's political career began in 1776 when he returned to Virginia upon his uncle's death and was elected as a representative to the Fourth Virginia Convention at just 23 years old. He also served as Virginia's first Attorney General and Mayor of Williamsburg. In 1786, he headed the Virginia delegation to the Annapolis Convention and was elected governor of Virginia.

As a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1787, Randolph introduced the Virginia Plan, which outlined a new national government and served as the basis for the U.S. Constitution. He was a key member of the Committee of Detail, tasked with drafting the Constitution. Despite his significant contributions, Randolph refused to sign the final document because he wanted more protections for individual rights and states' rights. He published his objections, expressing concerns about the balance of powers and the lack of checks on the federal judiciary and Congress.

Randolph's relationship with George Washington continued after the war. He handled much of Washington's personal legal work, and when Washington became President, he appointed Randolph as the first Attorney General of the United States in 1789. Randolph served in Washington's cabinet and succeeded Thomas Jefferson as Secretary of State in 1793 or 1794. During his term, Randolph navigated diplomatic challenges, including relations with France and the Jay Treaty with Britain. He also maintained a neutral stance in the feuds between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson.

Randolph's term as Secretary of State ended in 1795 due to accusations of corruption and disclosing confidential information, which weakened his standing with Washington. He resigned and returned to Virginia, resuming his law practice and defending Aaron Burr at his 1807 trial for treason.

Frequently asked questions