Elliot’s Debates: Volume 1
Journal of the Federal Convention
Tuesday, August 7, 1787.
It was moved and seconded to refer the report of the committee of detail to a committee of the whole; which passed in the affirmative.
Yeas: Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, South Carolina, 5. Nays: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, North Carolina, 4.
Delaware being unrepresented during the debate, a question was again taken on referring to a committee of the whole, and passed in the negative.
Yeas: Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, 3. Nays: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, 6.
On the question to agree to the preamble to the Constitution, as reported from the committee to whom were referred the proceedings of the Convention, it passed unanimously in the affirmative.
On the question to agree to the 1st article, as reported, it passed in the affirmative.
On the question to agree to the 2d article, as reported, it passed in the affirmative.
It was moved and seconded to alter the 2d clause of the 3d article, so as to read, “each of which shall, in all cases, have a negative on the legislative acts of the other;” which passed in the negative.
Yeas: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, 5. Nays: Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, 5.
On the question to strike the following clause out of the 3d article, namely, “each of which shall, in all cases, have a negative on the other,” it passed in the affirmative.
Yeas: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, 7. Nays: Connecticut, Maryland, North Carolina, 3.
It was moved by Mr. Randolph, and seconded, to add the following words to the last clause of the 3d article, “unless a different day shall be appointed by law;” which passed in the affirmative.
Yeas: Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, 8. Nays: New Hampshire, Connecticut, 2.
It was moved and seconded to strike out the word “December,” and insert the word “May,” in the 3d article; which passed in the negative.
Yeas: South Carolina, Georgia, 2. Nays: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, 8.
It was moved and seconded to insert, after the word “senate,” in the 3d article, the following, namely; “subject to the negative hereafter mentioned;” which passed in the negative.
Yea: Delaware, 1. Nays: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, 9.
It was moved and seconded to amend the last clause of the 3d article, so as to read as follows, namely:
“The legislature shall meet at least once in every year, and such meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unless a different day shall be appointed by law;”
which passed in the affirmative.
It was moved and seconded to strike out the last clause in the 1st section of the 4th article; which passed in the negative.
Yea: Delaware, 1. Nays: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, 7. Divided: Maryland, 1.
It was moved and seconded to adjourn; which passed in the negative.
Yeas: Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, 4. Nays: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, North Carolina, South Carolina, 5.
It was moved and seconded to adjourn till to-morrow morning, at 10 oclock; which passed in the negative.
Yeas: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, 3. Nays: Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, 5. Divided: South Carolina, 1.
The motion to adjourn renewed. Passed in the affirmative.
Yeas: Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, 7. Nays: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, 2.
The house then adjourned till to-morrow morning, at 11 oclock.
