were not identical, as Madison conclusively proved in his note to his journal, in his letter to Jared Sparks of November 25, 1831, and in several other letters, in all of which he showed that the draft did not agree in several important respects with Pinckney's own votes and motions in the convention, and that there were important discrepancies between it and Pinckney's Observations on the Plan of Government, a pamphlet printed shortly after the convention adjourned.1 It is, indeed, inconceivable that the convention should have incorporated into the constitution so many of the provisions of the Pinckney draft, and that at the same time so little reference should have been made to it in the course of the debates; and it is equally extraordinary that the contemporaries of Pinckney did not accord to him the chief paternity of the Constitution, which honor would have belonged to him if the draft he sent to Mr. Adams in 1818 had been the one he actually offered the convention in the first week of its session. The editor has made a careful examination of the original manuscripts in the case. They consist (1) of Mr. Pinckney's letter to Mr. Adams of December 12, 1818, written from Wingaw, S. C., while Pinckney was temporarily absent from Charleston, acknowledging Mr. Adams's request for the draft, (2) his letter of December 30, written from Charleston, transmitting the draft, and (3) the draft. The penmanship of all three papers is contemporaneous, and the letter of 1 See P. L. Ford's Pamphlets on the Constitution, 419. December 30 and the draft were written with the same pen and ink. This may possibly admit of a difference of opinion, because the draft is in a somewhat larger chirography than the letter, having been, as befitted its importance, written more carefully. But the letter and the draft are written upon the same paper, and this paper was not made when the convention sat in 1787. There are several sheets of the draft and one of the letter, and all bear the same water-mark—" Russell & Co. 1797." The draft cannot, therefore, claim to be the original Pinckney plan, and was palpably made for the occasion, from Mr. Pinckney's original notes doubtless, aided and modified by a copy of the Constitution itself. Thirty years had elapsed since the close of the Constitutional Convention when the draft was compiled, and its incorrectness is not a circumstance to occasion great wonder.' Correspondence on the subject of the convention, written while it was in session, was not extensive, but some unpublished letters throwing light upon contemporaneous opinion have been found and are quoted in the notes. The editor desires to record his obligation for assistance in preparing these volumes to his friend, Montgomery Blair, Esq., of Silver Spring, Md. CHERRY HILL Farm, Va., GAILLARD HUNT. I See p. 22, n. 1787. CHRONOLOGY OF JAMES MADISON. 1787. Prepares the "Virginia plan” in conjunction with May 6-25. the Virginia delegates. May 14. ✓ May 31. June 1. June 2. June 4. June 5. Attends the first gathering of the delegates. Moves postponement of question of representation by free population. Moves that congressional representation be proportioned to the importance and size of the States. Makes his first speech on this subject. Advocates representation in one house by popular election. Opposes uniting several States into one district for representation in Senate. Doubts practicability of enumerating powers of national legislature. Suggests the impossibility of using force to coerce individual States. Moves that the powers of the Executive be enumerated. Objects to giving Congress power to remove the President upon demand of a majority of the State legislatures. Favors giving power to more than a majority of the national legislature to overrule an Executive negative of a law. Opposes election of judges by both branches of Congress. June 5. June 6. June 7. June 8. June 12. June 13. June 21. June 22. June 23. Advocates submission of constitution to conventions of the people. Favors inferior judicial tribunals. Speaks for popular representation in the House. Seconds motion to include a portion of the Judiciary with the Executive in revisionary power over laws. Speaks for proportional representation in both houses of Congress. Seconds motion to give Congress power to negative State laws. Suggests temporary operation of urgent laws. Seconds motion to make term of Representatives three years. Thinks the people will follow the convention. Objects to appointment of judges by whole legislature. Thinks both houses should have right to originate money bills. Advocates a national government and opposes the "Jersey plan." Speaks in favor of national supremacy. Opposes annual or biennial elections of Representatives. Favors fixing payment of salaries by a standard. Proposes to debar Senators from offices created or enhanced during their term. Speaks for the proposition. Wishes to take up question of right of suffrage. Opposes their payment by the States. June 25. June 26. June 28. Speaks for proportional representation. June 29. Insists that too much stress is laid on State sovereignty. |