The Committee then rose and the House
Adjourned.
Saturday June 2d In Committee of whole
William Saml Johnson from Connecticut, Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer, from Maryd, & John Lansing Jr from N. York, took their seats.
It was movd & 2ded to postpone ye Resol: of Mr Randolph respecting the Executive, in order to take up the 2d branch of the Legislature; which being negatived by Mas: Con: Del: Virg: N. C. S. C. Geo: agst N. Y. Pena Maryd. The mode of appointing the Executive was resumed.
Mr Wilson made the following motion, to be substituted for the mode proposed by Mr. Randolph's resolution, "that the Executive Magistracy shall be elected in the following manner: That the States be divided into —— districts: & that the persons qualified to vote in each district for members of the first branch of the national Legislature elect —— members for their respective districts to be electors of the Executive Magistracy, that the said Electors of the Executive magistracy meet at —— and they or any —— of them so met shall proceed to elect by ballot, but not out of their own body —— person— in whom the Executive authority of the national Government shall be vested."
Mr Wilson repeated his arguments in favor of an election without the intervention of the States. He supposed too that this mode would produce more confidence among the people in the first magistrate, than an election by the national Legislature.
Mr Gerry, opposed the election by the National legislature. There would be a constant intrigue kept up for the appointment. The Legislature & the candidates wd bargain & play into one another's hands, votes would be given by the former under promises or expectations from the latter, of recompensing them by services to members of the Legislature or to their friends. He liked the principle of Mr Wilson's motion, but fears it would alarm & give a handle to the State partizans, as tending to supersede altogether the State authorities. He thought the Community not yet ripe for stripping the States of their powers, even such as might not be requisite for local purposes. He was for waiting till the people should feel more the necessity of it. He seemed to prefer the taking the suffrages of the States, instead of Electors, or letting the Legislatures nominate, and the electors appoint. He was not clear that the people ought to act directly even in the choice of electors, being too little informed of personal characters in large districts, and liable to deceptions.
Mr Williamson[56] could see no advantage in the introduction of Electors chosen by the people who would stand in the same relation to them as the State Legislatures, whilst the expedient would be attended with great trouble and expence.