Dear Reader, by this time, I hope you have finished reviewing the Constitution as suggested several days ago. This is the perfect time, because on this day in 1787, Nathaniel Gorham, Chairman of the Committee of the Whole, presented its report on the state of the resolutions presented by Gov. Edmund Randolph, known as the Virginia Plan.

Any actions taken by delegates when sitting as the Committee of the Whole are merely recommendations until approved by delegates sitting officially as the Convention. After dozens of motions, amendments, reconsiderations and postponements, Gorham has drafted a report summarizing the Committee’s recommendations. It is appropriate to list them here as they were presented.

A national government ought to be established consisting of a supreme legislature, judiciary and executive.

The national legislature ought to consist of two branches.

Members of the first branch of the national legislature ought to be elected by the people of the several States.

Members of the second branch ought to be chosen by the individual State legislatures.

Each branch ought to possess the right of originating acts.

The national legislature ought to be empowered to:

• Enjoy the legislative rights vested in Congress by the confederation
• 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

A national executive ought to be instituted to consist of a single person with power to:

• Carry into execution the national laws
• Appoint offices in cases not otherwise provided for
• Be chosen by the national legislature for the term of seven years
• Be ineligible a second time; and to be removable on impeachment and conviction of malpractice or neglect of duty

The national executive shall have a right to negative any legislative act which shall not be afterwards passed unless by two-thirds of each branch of the national legislature.

A national judiciary ought to be established to consist of one supreme tribunal; judges to hold their office during good behavior, with a fixed compensation that may not increased or diminished while they are in office.

The national legislature may appoint inferior tribunals.

Provision ought to be made for the admission of States, whether within the current limits of the United States or otherwise.

Provision ought to be made for the continuance of a Congress…until a given day after the reform of the Articles shall be adopted, and for the completion of all its engagements.

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.

The right of suffrage in the second branch ought to be according to that established for the first.

A republican constitution ought to be guaranteed to each State by the United States.

Provision ought to be made for the amendment of the articles of union when necessary.

Legislative, executive, and judicial officers within the States ought to be bound by oath to support the articles of union.

The new articles of union, after being presented to the Confederation Congress, ought 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.

The outline of a new national government has emerged, but the small States remain wary of its implications for them. Equality of the States in the national government has been abandoned. New powers are assigned to the national government, including the power to veto laws passed by the States, but those powers are not defined. The three-fifths compromise not only disadvantages the small States, it is a tacit recognition of slavery. Yet, despite earlier threats to quit the Convention, no delegate has left because of dissent.