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while in committee of the whole, in 28 pages; and one, three pages of lists of yeas and nays, on various questions debated in the convention; and after an interval of eight blank pages, five other pages of like yeas and nays. There were also two loose sheets, and one half sheet of similar yeas and nays; a printed draft of the constitution as reported on the 6th of August, 1787, with erasures and written interlineations of amendments afterwards adopted; two sheets-containing copies of the series of resolutions offered to the convention by Mr. Edmund Randolph, in different stages of amendment, as reported by the committee of the whole; and seven other papers of no importance in relation to the proceedings of the conven

tion.

The volume containing the journal of the convention was in an incomplete state. The journal of Friday, September 14, and a commencement of that of Saturday, September 15, filled three fourths of the 153d page; then terminated abruptly, and were, with the exception of five lines, crossed out with a pen. President Madison, to whom application for that purpose was made, has furnished, from his own minutes, the means of completing the journal, as now published.

The yeas and nays were not inserted in the journals, but were entered partly in a separate volume, and partly on loose sheets of paper. They were taken, not individually, but by states.. Instead of publishing them, as they appear in the manuscript, they are now given immediately after each question upon which they were taken.

2

General B. Bloomfield, executor of David Brearley, one of the members of the convention, transmitted to the Department of State several additional papers, which are included in this publication.

The paper, purporting to be Col. Hamilton's plan of a constitution, is not noticed in the journals. It was not offered by him for discussion, but was read by him, as part of a speech, observing that he did not mean it as a proposition, but only to give a more correct view of his ideas.

The return of the members in the several states, appears to have been an estimate used for the purpose of apportioning the number of members to be admitted from each of the states to the house of representatives.

In order to follow with clear understanding, the course of proceedings of the convention, particular attention is required to the following papers, which, except the third, successively formed the general text of their debates.

1. May 29, 1787. The fifteen resolutions offered by Mr. Edmund Randolph to the convention, and by them referred to a committee of the whole.

2. June 13. Nineteen resolutions reported by this committee of the whole, on the 13th, and again on the 19th of June, to the convention. 3. July 26. Twenty-three resolutions, adopted and elaborated by the convention, in debate upon the above nineteen reported from the committee of the whole; and on the 23d and 26th of July, referred, together with the plan of Mr.

C. Pinckney, and the propositions of Mr. Patterson, to a committee of five, to report a draft of a constitution.

4. August 6. The draft of a plan of constitution reported by this committee to the convention;

and debated from that time till the 12th of September.

5. September 13. Plan of constitution, brought in by a committee of revision, appointed on the 8th of September, consisting of five members, to revise the style and arrange the articles, agreed to by the convention.

The second and fourth of these papers, are among those deposited by President Washington, at the Department of State.

The first, fourth and fifth, are among those transmitted by general Bloomfield.

The third is collected from the proceedings of the convention, as they are spread over the journal from June 19th to July 26th.

This paper, together with the plan of Mr. C. Pinckney, a copy of which has been furnished by him, and the propositions of Mr. Patterson, included among the papers forwarded by general Bloomfield, com. prise the materials, upon which the first draft was made of the constitution, as reported by the committee of detail, on the 6th of August.

To the Journal, Acts and Proceedings of the Convention, are added in this publication, the subsequent proceedings of the Congress of the confederation, upon the constitution, reported as the result of their labours and the acts of ratification by the conventions of the

several states of the union, by virtue of which it became the supreme law of the land; and also the amendments to it, which have been since adopted and form a part of the constitution. It was thought that this supplement would be, if not essential, at least well adapted to carry into full effect the intentions of Congress in directing the publication; by presenting at one view the rise, progress, and present condition of the Constitution of the United States.

Department of State, October, 1819.

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