Convention of 1787: May 14, 1787; The Delegates begin to arrive.

On Monday May 14, 1787 the second Monday of May,the date appointed day by Congress¹(The Convention is called, February 21, 1787) that was recommended by the Annapolis Convention arrives, and the Federal Convention of 1787 begins, somewhat. On the day appointed, the delegates from only two States had arrived, Pennsylvania and Virginia. The members did meet in the State House this day, but little was done, and nothing of note. Both George Washington and James Madison wrote about this day, James Madison in his Notes:

Was the day fixed for the meeting of the deputies, in Convention, for revising the federal system of government. On that day a small number only had assembled. Seven states were not convened till, (sic)

And George Washington in his Diary³:

This being the day appointed for the Convention to meet, such Members as were in town assembled at the State Ho[use]; but only two States being represented--viz.--Virginia & Pensylvania--agreed to attend at the same place at 11 'Oclock to morrow. (sic)

After their brief meeting, they adjourned until sufficient members had arrived to convene, though they would meet daily at the State House. George Washington kept track of those who arrived in his diary through the days.

 

• May 15; Edmund Randolph (Virginia)
• May 16; None, moved meeting to one o’clock in the afternoon.
• May 17; Edward Rutledge and Charles Pinckney(South Carolina), George Mason (Virginia)
• May 18; Representatives from New York
• May 19; None
• May 20; None
• May 21; Delaware Representatives arrive
• May 22; North Carolina Representatives arrive (Washington notes 5 States present, though he actually accounts for six to this point VA, SC, NY, DE, NC and PA by dinning with Benjamin Franklin on May 16th),
• May 23; None
• May 24; None
• May 25; a delegate of New Jersey arrives (seven states now represented and a quorum is called to start business)

While members arrived several delegates did talk to each other and dined with George Washington on occasion, but no official business would take place until Friday May 25, 1787 a week and a half after the scheduled convening of the Convention. James Madison would not again make any notes until after the quorum is met, and no other member who kept notes started until at least this point in time. May 25th will mark the beginning of real work of the Convention of 1787 and times which will be very contentious, and heated to the point that all the members who are in Philadelphia this day, will not be at the end of the Convention in September.

Next: May 25, 1787 Day 2.

 

1: Resolution of Congress February 17, 1787 : http://www.consource.org/library/1787/02/17/resolution-of-congress

2: James Madison (Notes on the Convention of 1787)

3: Washington Diary : http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mgw:@field(DOCID+@lit(wd0519))