19. Resd that the amendments which shall be offered to the confederation by the Convention ought at a proper time or times after the approbation of Congs to be submitted to an Assembly or Assemblies recommended by the several Legislatures to be expressly chosen by the people to consider and decide thereon.
Thursday June 14. In Convention.
Mr Patterson, observed to the Convention that it was the wish of several deputations, particularly that of N. Jersey, that further time might be allowed them to contemplate the plan reported from the Committee of the Whole, and to digest one purely federal, and contradistinguished from the reported plan. He said they hoped to have such an one ready by tomorrow to be laid before the Convention: And the Convention adjourned that leisure might be given for the purpose.
Friday June 15th 1787
Mr Patterson, laid before the Convention the plan which he said several of the deputations wished to be substituted in place of that proposed by Mr Randolph. After some little discussion of the most proper mode of giving it a fair deliberation it was agreed that it should be referred to a Committee of the Whole, and that in order to place the two plans in due comparison, the other should be recommitted. At the earnest request of Mr Lansing[84] & some other gentlemen, it was also agreed that the Convention should not go into Com̃ittee of the whole on the subject till tomorrow, by which delay the friends of the plan proposed by Mr Patterson wd be better prepared to explain & support it, and all would have an opportuy of taking copies.[85]
[ [84] "Mr. Lansing is a practising Attorney at Albany, and Mayor of that Corporation. He has a hisitation in his speech, that will prevent his being an Orator of any eminence;—his legal knowledge I am told is not extensive, nor his education a good one. He is however a Man of good sense, plain in his manners, and sincere in his friendships. He is about 32 years of age."—Pierce's Notes, Am. Hist. Rev., iii., 327.
[ [85] (This plan had been concerted among the deputations or members thereof, from Cont N. Y. N. J. Del. and perhaps Mr Martin from Maryd who made with them a common cause though on different principles. Cont & N. Y. were agst a departure from the principle of the Confederation, wishing rather to add a few new powers to Congs than to substitute, a National Govt. The States of N. J. & Del. were opposed to a National Govt because its patrons considered a proportional representation of the States as the basis of it. The eagerness displayed by the members opposed to a Natl Govt from these different motives began now to produce serious anxiety for the result of the Convention. Mr Dickenson said to Mr Madison You see the consequence of pushing things too far. Some of the members from the small States wish for two branches in the General Legislature, and are friends to a good National Government; but we would sooner submit to foreign power, than submit to be deprived of an equality of suffrage in both branches of the legislature, and thereby be thrown under the domination of the large States.)—Madison Note.
"Mr. Madison moved for the report of the committee, and the question may then come on whether the convention will postpone it in order to take into consideration the system now offered.