Transcript of Virginia Plan (1787)
State of the resolutions submitted to the consideration of the House by the
honorable Mr. Randolph, as altered, amended, and agreed to, in a Committee of
the whole House.
1. Resolved that it is the opinion of this Committee that a national
government ought to be established consisting of a Supreme Legislative, Judiciary,
and Executive.
2. Resolved. that the national Legislature ought to consist of Two Branches.
3. Resolved that the members of the first branch of the national Legislature
ought to be elected by the People of the several States for the term of Three
years. to receive fixed stipends, by which they may be compensated for the devotion
of their time to public service to be paid out of the National Treasury. to
be ineligible to any Office established by a particular State or under the authority
of the United-States (except those peculiarly belonging to the functions of
the first branch) during the term of service, and under the national government
for the space of one year after it's expiration.
4. Resolved. that the members of the second Branch of the national Legislature
ought to be chosen by the individual Legislatures. to be of the age of thirty
years at least. to hold their offices for a term sufficient to ensure their
independency, namely seven years. to receive fixed stipends, by which they may
be compensated for the devotion of their time to public service — to be
paid out of the National Treasury to be ineligible to any office established
by a particular State, or under the authority of the United States (except those
peculiarly belonging to the functions of the second branch) during the term
of service, and under the national government, for the space of one year after
it's expiration.
5. Resolved that each branch ought to possess the right of originating
acts.
6. Resolved. that the national Legislature ought to be empowered to
enjoy the legislative rights vested in Congress by the confederation —
and moreover to legislate in all cases to which the separate States are incompetent:
or in which the harmony of the United States may be interrupted by the exercise
of individual legislation. to negative all laws passed by the several States
contravening, in the opinion of the national Legislature, the articles of union,
or any treaties subsisting under the authority of the union.
7. Resolved. that the right of suffrage in the first branch of the national
Legislature ought not to be according to the rule established in the articles
of confederation: but according to some equitable ratio of representation —
namely, in proportion to the whole number of white and other free citizens and
inhabitants of every age, sex, and condition including those bound to servitude
for a term of years, and three fifths of all other persons not comprehended
in the foregoing description, except Indians, not paying taxes in each State.
8. Resolved. that the right of suffrage in the second branch of the
national Legislature ought to be according to the rule established for the first.
9. Resolved. that a national Executive be instituted to consist of a
single person. to be chosen by the National Legislature. for the term of seven
years. with power to carry into execution the national Laws, to appoint to Offices
in cases not otherwise provided for to be ineligible a second time, and to be
removable on impeachment and conviction of mal practice or neglect of duty.
to receive a fixed stipend, by which he may be compensated for the devotion
of his time to public service to be paid out of the national Treasury.
10. Resolved. that the national executive shall have a right to negative
any legislative act: which shall not be afterwards passed unless by two third
parts of each branch of the national Legislature.
11. Resolved. that a national Judiciary be established to consist of
One Supreme Tribunal. The Judges of which to be appointed by the second Branch
of the National Legislature. to hold their offices during good behaviour to
receive, punctually, at stated times, a fixed compensation for their services:
in which no encrease or diminution shall be made so as to affect the persons
actually in office at the time of such encrease or diminution.
12. Resolved. That the national Legislature be empowered to appoint
inferior Tribunals.
13. Resolved. that the jurisdiction of the national Judiciary shall
extend to cases which respect the collection of the national revenue: impeachments
of any national officers: and questions which involve the national peace and
harmony.
14. Resolved. that provision ought to be made for the admission of States,
lawfully arising within the limits of the United States, whether from a voluntary
junction of government and territory, or otherwise, with the consent of a number
of voices in the national Legislature less than the whole.
15. Resolved. that provision ought to be made for the continuance of
Congress and their authorities until a given day after the reform of the articles
of Union shall be adopted; and for the completion of all their engagements.
16. Resolved that a republican constitution, and its existing laws,
ought to be guaranteed to each State by the United States.
17. Resolved. that provision ought to be made for the amendment of the
articles of Union, whensoever it shall seem necessary.
18. Resolved. that the Legislative, Executive, and Judiciary powers
within the several States ought to be bound by oath to support the articles
of Union.
19. Resolved. that the amendments which shall be offered to the confederation
by the Convention, ought at a proper time or times, after the approbation of
Congress to be submitted to an assembly or assemblies of representatives, recommended
by the several Legislatures, to be expressly chosen by the People to consider
and decide thereon.
Received this sheet from the President of the United States, with the journals
of the general Convention, March 19th, 1796.
Timothy Pickering
Secy of State
State of the Resolutions submitted by Mr. Randolph to the Consideration of
the House, as altered, amended and agreed to in a committee of the whole House.
Received from the President of the U. States, March 19, 1796. by
Timothy Pickering
Secy of State
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