Constitution Convention Notes: May 31, 1787

This is the Notes of the Convention of 1787 (The Federal Convention) for May 31, 1787 The notes included are those that specifically address this day, and do not include notes of others who may address the topics of the day. You can download and read those, and the entire collection of Notes recorded at the Constitution Convention in the Links and Downloads section. These contain the entire series of Notes on the Convention from James Madison, Rufus Kings, James McHenry, William Pierce, William Patterson, Alexander Hamilton and Robert Yates, in addition with the Journal from the Convention can be read by following this link, Federal Journal of the Convention of 1787.

Constitution Convention Timeline

This is a chronological day by day account of the Constitution timeline of related links of articles written here. Dates of debate may be linked to the full notes taken by Delegates that date.

Day	Date	Subject	Notes of the day
-	N/A	What are the Articles of Confederation	January 8, 2011
-	N/A	Why the Articles of Confederation failed	January 14, 2011
-	September 1786	Prelude, the Annapolis Convention of 1786	January 24, 2011
-	February 21, 1787	The Convention is Called	January 25, 2011
-	May 14, 1787	The Delegates begin to arrive	January 27, 2011
1	May 25, 1787	Choosing a Convention President and setting the Rules	January 28, 2011
2	May 28, 1787	Setting the Rules of Debate	January 29, 2011
3	May 29, 1787	The Virginia Plan and Pinckney Plan	January 30, 2011
4	May 30, 1787	Three Branches and Supreme Power	January 31, 2011
5	May 31, 1787	The People will vote, and selecting the Senate	February 1, 2011
6	June 1, 1787	The Executive	February 6, 2011
7	June 2, 1787	Selecting and term of the Executive	February 12, 2011

Convention of 1787: May 30, 1787 Day 4; Three Branches, and Supreme Power

With the Virginia Plan and the Pinckney Plan having been proposed the day before on May 29, 1787, May 30th would mark when real work of the Convention begins. Though two proposals had been submitted the day prior, it would be the Virginia Plan that would end up setting most of the debate for the foreseeable future. The Convention would go into a Committee of the Whole to begin the day, and elected Nathaniel Gorham (Massachusetts)as the Chair. The Committee of the Whole is a committee of the entire Convention with fewer rules, and a smaller quorum,, this allows for open debate and proposing and voting on amendments to proposals,  before the Convention proper votes of the final version of the proposal, and is method of conducting business still seen today in the House of Representatives³.

James Madison (Virginia) notes Roger Sherman of Connecticut takes his seat.

Three Branches of Government, and Confederacy vs. Supreme Power

The 15 propositions proposed by Edmund Randolph the day prior have been referred to the Committee to be taken up. Randolph moved and Gouverneur Morris  (Pennsylvania) seconded, that the first Resolution of the Virginia Plan “Resolved that the Articles of Confederation ought to be so corrected & enlarged, as to accomplish the objects proposed by their institution; namely, common defence, security of liberty & general welfare”, should be postponed to consider the following three proposals.

1. That a Union of the States merely federal will not accomplish the objects proposed by the articles of Confederation, namely common defence, security of liberty, and general welfare.
2. That no treaty or treaties among the whole or part of the States, as individual Sovereignties, would be sufficient.
3. That a national Government ought to be established consisting of a supreme Legislative, Executive & Judiciary.

Constitution Convention Notes: May 30, 1787

This is the Notes of the Convention of 1787 (The Federal Convention) for May 30, 1787. The notes included are those that specifically address this day, and do not include notes of others who may address the topics of the day. You can download and read those, and the entire collection of Notes recorded at the Constitution Convention in the Links and Downloads section. These contain the entire series of Notes on the Convention from James Madison, Rufus Kings, James McHenry, William Pierce, William Patterson, Alexander Hamilton and Robert Yates, in addition with the Journal from the Convention can be read by following this link, Federal Journal of the Convention of 1787.

Convention of 1787: May 29, 1787 Day 3: The Virginia Plan and Pinckney Plan

May 29, 1787 was the first day of formal debates in the Convention, and would see two plans presented that would set the tone for much of the Convention, the Virginia Plan introduced by Edmund Randolph (Virginia) and Charles Pinckney (South Carolina) also introduced his Pinckney Plan.

Before either man would rise to present their plans to the Convention, James Madison noted the arrival of two more Delegates to the Convention, and final rules were established proposed the day prior on May 28, 1787.

Delaware – John Dickinson

Massachusetts – Elbridge Gerry

The following additional rules were proposed by the Committee of Rules, and subsequently agreed to.

“That no member be absent from the House, so as to interrupt the representation of the state, without leave.

“That committees do not sit whilst the House shall be, or ought to be, sitting.

“That no copy be taken of any entry on the Journal, during the sitting of the House, without leave of the House.

“That members only be permitted to inspect the Journal.

“That nothing spoken in the House be printed, or otherwise published, or communicated, without leave.

“That a motion to reconsider a matter which has been determined by a majority may be made, with leave unanimously given, on the same day on which the vote passed; but otherwise, not without one day’s previous notice; in which last case, if the House agree to the reconsideration, some future day shall be assigned for that purpose.”