Convention of 1787: May 25, 1787 Day 1; Choosing a Convention President and setting the Rules

Even though the Convention was called to begin on the second Monday in May, May 14, 1787 it was not until Friday May 25th Delegates from at least seven States had arrived, sufficient for a quorum and to begin business. As noted by James Madison, the following eight States were represented with these delegates this day¹.

• Massachusetts—Rufus King;
• New York—Robert Yates and Alexander Hamilton;
• New Jersey—David Brearly, William Churchill Houston, and William Patterson;
• Pennsylvania—Robert Morris, Thomas Fitzsimons, James Wilson, and Gouverneur Morris;
• Delaware—George Reed, Richard Basset, and Jacob Broom;
• Virginia—George Washington, Edmund Randolph, John Blair, James Madison, George Mason, George Wythe, and James McClurg;
• North Carolina—Alexander Martin, William Richardson Davie, Richard Dobbs Spaight, and Hugh Williamson;
• South Carolina—John Rutledge, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, Charles Pinckney, and Pierce Butler;

This day would be light in business, in all providing for the needed preparations for the Convention to move forward. The election of Officers and positions, and to develop a set of rules to govern the Convention.

 

Robert Morris (Pennsylvania) in the name of Pennsylvania proposed that George Washington be the President of the Convention. John Rutledge (South Carolina) seconded this motion, and George Washington was unanimously chosen to be the President of the Convention. Upon his election he had the chair conferred (to give formally or officialy²) to him by Robert Morris and John Rutledge, being sworn as the President of the Convention. Upon taking the chair he reminded the Convention of, “novelty of the scene of business in which he was to act, lamented his want of better qualifications, and claimed the indulgence of the house towards the involuntary errors which his inexperience might occasion”. A sign of humility that has been a mark of George Washington during his time in the public service, and would continue to its end.

After Washington was chosen to be the President, James Wilson (Pennsylvania) nominated Temple Franklin to be secretary, while Alexander Hamilton (New York) nominated Major Jackson. Major Jackson was elected the Secretary of the Convention by a 5-2 vote. Major Jackson is not a delegate to the Convention, but would be responsible for the Journal of the Convention.

Upon completion of choosing a President and Secretary, the credentials of the Delegates were read. These Credentials are from the States they represent, and give the authority for the members to act as the representatives of their State and speak in its name. Upon the reading of the credentials it was noticed that the State of Delaware had expressly prohibited its delegates from, “changing the article in the Confederation establishing an equality of votes among the states.”This is important to note this, as this limitation on Delaware will have consequences latter in the Convention. James Madison, who on this day has the only written record of events, does not note any other States credentials, which presumably means, that the rest of the States gave their delegation the latitude requested in the Annapolis Convention in September 1786, allowing the delegates to debate and recommend changes to all aspects of the Articles. Delaware also has this latitude to debate all parts of the Articles of Confederation, and to recommend changes, only that it may not vote to remove or change the equal state suffrage from it.

The last order of business this day followed the reading of credentials, a committee was appointed on the motion of Charles Pinckney (South Carolina) to prepare the rules and orders of the Convention. The Committee members were chosen to be George Wythe (Virginia), Alexander Hamilton and Charles Pinckney.

Following the selection of the Rules and orders committee members, the Convention adjourned until May 26, 1787.

With eight States in representation the convention seated, and began to organize itself into a group to conduct the business ahead. Now with a President to ensure order, a secretary to record the proceedings, a committee is appointed to now make the rules, which will govern the debate or rules of the floor for the remainder of the Convention.

 

1: Notes of James Madison

2: The American Heritage thesaurus;,First Edition; based on American Heritage College thesaurus, first addition: Dell Books.