ARTICLE I.

SECTION I.

All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.

The Continental Congress of 1774-the first "general Congress" of the colonies-seems to have been originally proposed by the committee of correspondence of the SONS of LIBERTY of the city of New York, in May of that year. It assembled at Philadelphia, September 6th, and continued to meet annually until the adoption of the present Constitution.

On the 21st July, 1775, Dr. FRANKLIN submitted to Congress the sketch of "Articles of Confederation," the fourth article of which provides :

"That delegates shall be annually elected in each colony, to meet in general Congress, at such times and places as shall be agreed on in the next preceding Congress."

This provision is substantially retained in the " Article of Confederation" (5th), adopted by Congress in 1777, and subsequently ratified by the several States.

In Federal Convention. Mr. RANDOLPH'S PLAN. "That the national legislature ought to consist of two branches."

Mr. PINCKNEY'S PLAN.-"The legislative power shall be vested in a Congress, to consist of two separate Houses, one to be called the House of Delegates, and the other the Senate."

Mr. LANSING moved, "That the powers of legislation be vested in the United States in Congress."

The debate on this motion turned upon the question whether the principle of confederation was to be retained, or a national government established.

The following extracts are taken from the "Madison Papers," Elliot's edition, vol. 5, p. 214 et seq.

Mr. LANSING "observed, that the true question here was, whether the Convention would adhere to, or depart from, the foundation of the present confederacy."

Col. MASON Supported Mr. Randolph's plan, but observed that, "notwithstanding his solicitude to establish a national government, he would never agree to abolish the State governments, or render them absolutely insignificant."

Mr. LUTHER MARTIN "agreed with Col. Mason as to the importance of the State governments: he would support them at the expense of the general government, which was instituted for the purpose of that support. He saw no necessity for two branches. At the sep

aration from the British empire, the people of America preferred the establishment of themselves into thirteen separate sovereignties, instead of incorporating themselves into one. To these they look for the security of their lives, liberties, and properties-to these they must look up. The federal government they formed to defend the whole against foreign nations in time of war, and to defend the lesser States against the ambition of the larger."

Mr. SHERMAN, of Connecticut, "seconded and supported Mr. Lansing's motion. He admitted two branches

to be necessary in the State legislatures, but saw no necessity in a confederacy of States. Congress carried us through the war, and perhaps as well as any government could have done. If another branch were to be added

to Congress, it would serve to embarrass them. The disparity of States, in point of size, he perceived, was the main difficulty. But the large States had not yet suffered from the equality of votes enjoyed by the smaller ones."

"If the difficulty on the subject of representation cannot be otherwise got over, he would agree to have two branches, and a proportional representation in one of them, provided each State had an equal voice in the other. This was necessary to secure the rights of the lesser States. Each State had its peculiar habits, usages, and manners, which constituted its happiness." [This appears to have been the first suggestion of the idea upon which the two Houses of Congress were ultimately organized.]

Mr. WILSON, of Pennsylvania, urged the necessity of two branches. He admitted that the large States did accede to the confederation in its present form; but it was the effect of necessity, not of choice.

Dr. JOHNSON.—"On comparison of the two plans which had been proposed from Virginia and New Jersey, it appeared that the peculiarity which characterized the latter, was its being calculated to preserve the individuality of the States. Mr. Wilson and the gentleman from Virginia (Col. Mason) . . . wished to leave the States in possession of a considerable, though subordinate jurisdiction."

Mr. MADISON "was of opinion, in the first place, that there was less danger of encroachment from the general government than from the State governments; and in the second place, that the mischiefs from encroachments would be less fatal if made by the former, than if made by the latter."

Mr. Randolph's resolution was agreed to. Yeas Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Virginia, N. Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, 7. Nays New York, New Jersey, Delaware, 3.

The committee of the whole reported the clause in the following form:

“That the national legislature ought to consist of two branches. That each branch ought to possess the right to originate acts."

On motion of Mr. ELLSWORTH, the words "the United States "" were substituted for the word "national."

As reported by the committee of detail:

"The legislative power shall be vested in a Congress, to consist of two separate and distinct bodies of men, a House of Representatives and a Senate; each of which shall in all cases have a negative on the other."

On motion of Mr. MADISON, the last clause of the sentence was stricken out.

It was then referred to the committee of style, who reported it in its present form.

ARTICLE I.

SECTION II.

Clause 1.-The House of Representatives shall be composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the several States, and the electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislature.

Clause 2.-No person shall be a representative who shall not have attained the age of twenty-five years, and have been seven years a citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen.

Articles of Confederation. - Delegates shall be annually appointed, in such manner as the legislature of each State shall direct, with a power reserved to each State to recall its delegates or any of them, at any time within the year, and to send others in their stead for the remainder of the year.

In Federal Convention.

Mr. RANDOLPH'S PLAN.

"That

the members of the first branch of the national legislature ought to be elected by the people of the several States, every to be of the age of

for the term of

,

years at least; to be incapable of reëlection for the