June 25, 1787: Election of Senators

Robert Morris by Charles Willson Peale, c. 1782.  Independence National Historical Park.

"There are gentlemen of great abilities employed in this Convention, many of whom were in the first Congress, and several that were concerned in forming the Articles of Confederation now about to be altered and amended. You, my children, ought to pray for a successful issue to their labours, as the result is to be a form of Government under which you are to live,…"

--Robert Morris, delegate from Pennsylvania, to his sons Robert and Thomas in Leipzig

Monday, June 25, 1787: The Convention Today

The Convention took up Resolution 4 - members of 2nd Branch of National Legislature to be elected by state legislatures, be at least 30, for a 7 year term, to receive a fixed stipend and ineligible to other state or Federal office.

Charles Pinckney (SC) began the day with a speech stressing the unique equality among Americans which precluded a House of Lords. He wished to retain the state governments, and favored election of the second house by the state legislatures.

Mr. Gorham (MA) remarked that he inclined to a compromise on the rule of proportion (the number of Senators to be allowed each State). Read (DE) replied that the states ought to adjust their old affairs before they open a new account - the common interest in western lands had been appropriated to the use of particular states. "Let justice be done on this head; let the fund be applied fairly and equally to the discharge for the general debt, and the smaller states who had been injured would listen then perhaps to those ideas of just representation which had been held out." (Both Gorham and Read were speaking to Resolution 8, not 4, and should have been called to order by the Chair, General Washington. That he did not is interesting - perhaps he felt that nit-picking would not forward the work at hand).

After extensive debate, the convention agreed to have the state legislatures elect Senators, and that they should be at least 30 years old. It defeated proposals that they serve 7, 6 or 5 year terms, leaving that question undecided.

Synopsis

• Agreed (9 – 2) to election of the upper house by state legislatures
• Agreed unanimously to minimum age of 30 for Senators

Delegates Today

• Dr. Johnson (CT) dined at home and paid seventeen shillings and six pence for laundry.
• General Washington (VA) dined and drank tea at the Morris' and spent the evening in his room.

Philadelphia Today

• It rained hard last night and in the morning, then cleared and turned pleasant.

Part of a series of articles titled
The Constitutional Convention: A Day by Day Account for June 1787.

Previous:
June 24, 1787: Sunday Recess

Next:
June 26, 1787: Terms of Service for Senators

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