Journal of the Federal Convention

Friday, July, 13, 1787.

It was moved and seconded to postpone the consideration of that clause in the report of the grand committee, which respects the originating money bills in the first branch, in order to take up the following, namely, “that in the second branch of the legislature of the United States, each state shall have an equal vote.”

It was moved and seconded to add the following amendment to the last clause agreed to by the house, namely:—

“That, from the first meeting of the legislature of the United States, until a census shall be taken, all moneys to be raised for supplying the public treasury by direct taxation shall be assessed on the inhabitants of the several states according to the number of their representatives, respectively, in the first branch.

It was moved and seconded to postpone the consideration of the amendment; which passed in the negative.

Yeas: Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, 4. Nays: Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, 6.

On the question to agree to the amendment, it passed in the negative.

Yeas: Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, 5. Nays: Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, 5.

It was moved and seconded to agree to the following amendment, namely:—

“That, from the first meeting of the legislature of the United States until a census shall be taken, all moneys for supplying the public treasury by direct taxation shall be raised from the several states according to the number of their representatives, respectively, in the first branch;”

which passed in the affirmative.

Yeas: Massachusetts, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, 5. Nays: Connecticut, New Jersey, Maryland, 3. Divided: Pennsylvania, 1.

It was moved and seconded to reconsider the 2d clause of the report from the committee of five, entered on the Journal of the 9th instant; which was unanimously agreed to.

It was moved and seconded to alter the second clause reported from the committee of five, entered on the Journal of the 9th instant, so as to read as follows, namely:—

“But as the present situation of the states may probably alter in the number of their inhabitants, that the legislature of the United States be authorized, from time to time, to apportion the number of representatives. And in case any of the states shall hereafter be divided, or any two or more states untied, or any new states created within the limits of the Unites States, the legislature of the United States shall possess authority to regulate the number of representatives in any of the foregoing cases, upon the principle of their number of inhabitants, according to the provisions hereafter mentioned.”

And on the question to agree to the clause as amended, it passed in the affirmative.

Yeas: Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, 9. Divided: Delaware, 1.

It was moved and seconded to add, after the word “divided,” the following words, namely, “or enlarged by addition of territory;” which passed unanimously in the affirmative.

It was moved and seconded to adjourn. Passed in the affirmative.

Yeas: Massachusetts, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, 6. Nays: New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Georgia, 4.

And then the house adjourned until to-morrow, at 11 o’clock, A. M.

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