The propositions from N.
Jersey moved by Mr. Patterson on June 15, 1787, were in the words following:
<Avalon Project
1. Resd.
that the articles of Confederation ought
to be so revised, corrected & enlarged, as to render the federal
Constitution adequate to the exigencies of Government, & the preservation
of the Union.
2. Resd.
that in addition to the powers vested in the U. States
in Congress, by the present existing articles of Confederation, they be authorized to pass acts for raising a revenue, by levying a duty
or duties on all goods or merchandizes of foreign growth or manufacture,
imported into any part of the U. States, by Stamps on paper, vellum or
parchment, and by a postage on all letters or packages passing through the
general post-office, to be applied to such federal purposes as they shall deem
proper & expedient; to make rules & regulations
for the collection thereof; and the same from time to time, to alter
& amend in such manner as they shall think proper: to
pass Acts for the regulation of trade & commerce as well with foreign
nations as with each other: provided that all
punishments, fines, forfeitures & penalties to be incurred for contravening
such acts rules and regulations shall be adjudged by the Common law Judiciaries
of the State in which any offence contrary to the true intent & meaning of
such Acts rules & regulations shall have been committed or perpetrated,
with liberty of commencing in the first instance all suits & prosecutions
for that purpose in the superior common law Judiciary in such State, subject
nevertheless, for the correction of all errors, both in law & fact in
rendering Judgment, to an appeal to the Judiciary of the U. States.
3. Resd.
that whenever requisitions shall be necessary, instead of the rule for making
requisitions mentioned in the articles of Confederation, the United States in Congs. be
authorized to make such requisitions in
proportion to the whole number of white & other free citizens &
inhabitants of every age sex and condition including those bound to servitude
for a term of years & three fifths of all other
persons not comprehended in the foregoing description, except Indians
not paying taxes; that if such requisitions be not complied with, in the time
specified therein, to direct the collection thereof in
the non-complying States & for that purpose to devise and pass acts
directing & authorizing the same; provided that none of the powers hereby
vested in the U. States in Congs. shall be exercised without the consent of at
least ------ States, and in that proportion if the number of Confederated
States should hereafter be increased or diminished.
4. Resd.
that the U. States in Congs. be authorized to elect a
federal Executive to consist of ------ persons, to continue in office
for the term of ------ years, to receive punctually at stated times a fixed
compensation for their services, in which no increase or diminution shall be
made so as to affect the persons composing the Executive at the time of such increase
or diminution, to be paid out of the federal treasury; to be incapable of
holding any other office or appointment during their time of service and for
------ years thereafter; to be ineligible a second time, & removeable by
Congs. on application by a majority of the Executives of the several States;
that the Executives besides their general
authority to execute the federal acts ought to
appoint all federal officers not otherwise provided for, & to direct all
military operations; provided that none of the persons composing the
federal Executive shall on any occasion take command of any troops, so as
personally to conduct any enterprise as General or in other capacity.
5. Resd.
that a federal Judiciary be established to
consist of a supreme Tribunal the Judges of which to be appointed by the
Executive, & to hold their offices during good behaviour, to receive
punctually at stated times a fixed compensation for their services in which no
increase or diminution shall be made, so as to affect the persons actually in
office at the time of such increase or diminution; that the Judiciary so
established shall have authority to hear & determine in the first instance
on all impeachments of federal officers, &
by way of appeal in the dernier resort in all cases
touching the rights of Ambassadors, in all cases of captures from an enemy, in all cases of piracies & felonies on the high Seas, in all cases
in which foreigners may be interested, in the
construction of any treaty or treaties, or which may arise on any of the Acts for regulation of trade, or the
collection of the federal Revenue: that none of the Judiciary shall
during the time they remain in office be capable of receiving or holding any
other office or appointment during their time of service, or for ------
thereafter.
6. Resd.
that all Acts of the U. States in Congs. made by
virtue & in pursuance of the powers hereby & by the articles of Confederation vested in them, and all Treaties made & ratified under the authority of
the U. States shall be the supreme law of the respective States so far
forth as those Acts or Treaties shall relate to the said States or their Citizens, and that the Judiciary of the several States
shall be bound thereby in their decisions, any thing
in the respective laws of the Individual States to the contrary
notwithstanding; and that if any State, or any body of men in any State shall
oppose or prevent yd. carrying into execution such acts or treaties, the federal Executive shall be authorized to call forth ye.
power of the Confederated States, or so much thereof as may be necessary to
enforce and compel an obedience to such Acts, or an observance of such
Treaties.
7. Resd.
that provision be made for the admission of new States into the Union.
8. Resd.
the rule for naturalization ought to be the same in every State.
9. Resd. that
a Citizen of one State committing an offense in another State of the Union,
shall be deemed guilty of the same offense as if it had been committed by a
Citizen of the State in which the offense was committed. [FN13]
Adjourned.