Chapter 14 1. Pushing to the top

On June 7, the committee of the whole passed a motion proposed by Dickinson and seconded by Sherman that the members of the second house of the National Assembly (ie, Senators) be elected by the state assemblies.As a result of the vote, all 11 states were in favor. Although Dickinson's motion passed unanimously, both Madison and Wilson expressed dissenting opinions during the discussion.In fact, seriously speaking, Wilson should be counted as a student of Dickinson. Wilson, 45, was born in Scotland and studied at the Universities of St Andrews, Glasgow and Edinburgh before coming to North America to teach Latin in 1766 when he was 24.After coming to North America, he studied law with Dickinson and became a lawyer three years later. Even bankers like Robert Morris became his clients.This undoubtedly shows that Wilson is a man of outstanding talent.Pierce's "Character Description of Representatives of the Constitutional Convention" also said that "there is no one better than Mr. Wilson with clear thinking, rich materials, and an overview of the overall situation."In fact, he is at least a political scientist, "he can count all the political systems in the world."Perhaps it was for this reason that Wilson was not only extremely vocal (second only to Goweno Morris) at the Constitutional Convention, but also often aggressive.

Wilson was one of the leading figures in the mainstream of the Constitutional Convention.Although he was a representative of Pennsylvania, he agreed with Madison on many major issues, such as advocating that members of parliament be elected by the people, and administrators should be held by one person.He even worked with Madison on some motions, such as authorizing the National Assembly to create lower courts and the judiciary to participate in legislative review.However, Wilson's views seem to be more radical than Madison's (such as advocating that both houses be elected by the people).His attitude is also tougher than Madison.He even advocated that if an agreement cannot be reached, he would rather realize the union of some states first.In the future, whoever agrees to the new national system will join in again, that is to say, whether or not your little state loves to come (please refer to Chapter 2, Section 4 of this book).

This is for June 5th. On June 7, when Dickinson proposed to compare the United States of America to the solar system and the states to the planets, and the planets should be allowed to move freely in their proper orbits, Wilson immediately responded that he was not as Mr. Dickinson said That would destroy the planets, but he also didn't believe that the planets would bring light and heat to the sun.Their "proper track" is obedience. On June 8, when the meeting discussed whether the National Assembly had the right to veto the legislation of each state, Wilson impassionedly expounded his "nationalism" thought.Wilson said that federal rights are for states, and citizenship is for people.In order for a savage to acquire the rights of the Commonwealth, he must surrender his personal sovereignty in the state of nature.Similarly, for a state to obtain federal rights, it must surrender its political sovereignty.Back then, at the time of the first Continental Congress (quote's note: At that time, the states were still colonies, that is, Colonies), everyone said that there would be no more Virginia, no Massachusetts, and no Pennsylvania.We are all brothers now, forming a country, and all regional interests and differences should be buried.However, over time, the tone changed.Not long after the state governments were established, mutual jealousy and ambitions emerged (quote note: because they already have ten states, that is, States). basket.In the end, the Confederacy was torn apart and reduced to the impotent state it is today.Take a look back at this history!Are we going to let the general interest become the victim of the local interest?

Wilson's view and attitude finally made Xiaobang unbearable.This is how the Delaware representative Bedford, as mentioned in Chapter 2, Section 4 of this book, took the case and denounced Madison, Wilson and others for their "monsterism".In fact, before Bedford spoke, Gerry of Massachusetts said that if the National Assembly had the veto power over the legislation of the states, it would treat the states as slaves.Such an idea cannot be agreed to.Bedford pointed out that what Mr. Wilson said should not have local interests, but according to his method, Delaware can only occupy 1/99 of the seats in the National Congress, and Pennsylvania and Virginia together have 1/99 of all seats. /3, isn't there any motivation here?

Then came the joint counterattack on June 9, on behalf of New Jersey, Braley and Paterson.Briley said that the issue of seat distribution caused an uproar as early as the formation of the Confederacy, and it was finally resolved correctly by agreeing to give each state an equal vote, otherwise the small state would not have survived.Some people are now proposing to replace it with a proportional system. On the surface it is fair, but if you look deeper, you will find that it is neither fair nor reasonable.Because of the huge disparity in the proportion of seats allocated in this way.Virginia gets 16 seats, while smaller states like Georgia get just one.With 16 seats, Virginia is bound to become the backbone, forming a formidable military phalanx.Those small states with only one seat or two seats have to frequently seek refuge in a certain big state in order to gain some weight.Well, one may ask, is it fair that Georgia and Virginia have equal voting rights?Of course it's not fair.There is only one way to do it, and that is to spread out the map, redefine the boundary, and divide it into 13 equal parts.

Paterson continued.He pointed out that allocating seats proportionally is to combat the existence of small states, so small states absolutely cannot agree.What's more, no matter whether the United States is regarded as a country or a union, this kind of claim is untenable.As a union, all states have equal sovereignty; as a country, all states should be thrown into one furnace, melted and then divided equally, that is fairness!Some people say that a big state contributes a lot, so it should have more voting rights.This is actually as unreasonable as the lady asking for more voting rights than the poor.For example, Zhang San's property is 40 times that of Li Si's, so should Zhang San have 40 times the voting rights of Li Si?Yes, the rich pay more taxes than the poor, but the rich also need more protection.Likewise, large states also have more property that needs federal protection than small states, so why shouldn't they contribute more?

Finally, Paterson referred to Wilson's June 5 speech.Mr. Wilson had threatened, Paterson said, that if the other states refused at the same time, the major states would form their own union if necessary.very good!If they will, let them unite themselves!They should remember, however, that they have no power to compel other states to unite, and New Jersey will never unite on the present scheme.New Jersey may be annexed by others, but he would rather surrender to a monarch, submit to an absolute tyrant, than fall into the fate of being at the mercy of a great power.I, Paterson, will not only oppose this plan here, but I will do everything in my power to defeat it back in New Jersey!

Now Wilson couldn't sit still.He quickly explained that he had meant that some majorities, or minorities, would unite for their own safety should the Confederacy break up, but he disagreed with Paterson.Mr Paterson was right, he said, that seats were allocated on the basis of people, not property.The rich cannot vote a little more than the poor.The question, then, are not the citizens of Pennsylvania equal to the citizens of New Jersey?Does it take 150 citizens of Pennsylvania to balance with 50 citizens of New Jersey?In fact, everyone has their own sovereignty according to their natural attributes.Therefore, all people should have equal rights.If the small states will not be united on this plan, Pennsylvania, and some others, will not be united on any other.If New Jersey is not willing to part with his sovereignty, the establishment of a national government may only be an empty talk.

This is almost turned over.Therefore, on June 11, the highly respected Franklin came forward to mediate.Franklin said tactfully that he took great pleasure in seeing that the debate was calm and that there was no temper tantrum.If unfortunately the opposite happens, he hopes that there will be only one and no more.The states have sent us here to consult with each other, not to quarrel with each other.Saying that the point of view has been fixed, the idea has been decided, and will never change, etc., can neither inspire thinking nor persuade others.What we desperately need is harmony and unity.If each saw himself more as a representative of the whole.If Russia hadn't regarded itself as the spokesperson of a certain state, the situation might have been much better.

As for the number of seats, Franklin believes that the number of members should be proportional to the number of people represented.Decisions should be taken by the majority of the state, not by the minority.This is exactly the opposite of the view that a large state will swallow a small state.Because he can't see the benefit of a big country swallowing a small country.Back then, when the two kingdoms of England and Scotland were united, the Scottish patriots were also full of fear, fearing that England would suffer a disadvantage in parliament due to the large number of people in England.However, despite Scotland's inferiority in both Houses, we have not found anything against Scotland in the British Parliament so far.On the contrary, according to the current voting method, the small state has the right to engulf the large state.For example, 7 small states each have 3 MPs, and 6 large states each have 6 MPs.On the surface, it appears that there are many people in Dabang (36:21).However, as long as two MPs from each small state vote against it, they will get 7 votes against it, and even if all the MPs from six large states vote in favor, it is useless.The 36 votes plus the 7 votes in favor of Mr. Siu Pong are not worth the 14 votes.Isn't this the power of the minority overpowering the majority?

Franklin said that this voting method, as my learned colleague (referring to Wilson) pointed out, was knowingly inappropriate, unequal, and unfair at the time, but he still made concessions.But the larger states are no more willing to leave their property at the disposal of the smaller states than the small states are willing to place their property at the disposal of the larger states.This is what people have the same heart and the same reason.So he hoped that there would be a way to solve this problem. Franklin's speech was tantamount to supporting Wilson.After several rounds of voting, finally, the meeting passed the motion of Wilson and Hamilton on the same day, agreeing that the seat allocation rules of the Second House were the same as those of the First House.Moreover, this resolution was also written into the "Report of the Committee of the Whole" on June 13. Xiaobang was forced to go to Liangshan, and they certainly refused to sit still.As a result, as we have explained in Chapter 3, Section 1 of this book, the meeting was adjourned on June 14 at the request of Paterson. On the 15th, a new plan (the New Jersey plan) designated by delegations from small states such as New Jersey and Delaware was submitted by Paterson to the Constitutional Convention, which almost abolished the "New Jersey Plan" that Madison and the others had worked out with great difficulty. Report of the Committee of the Whole”. It was Dickinson who said to Madison: Now you see the consequences of being too aggressive.