Part of a series of articles titled The Constitutional Convention: A Day by Day Account for June 1787.
Article
June 4, 1787: A Single Executive
Elbridge Gerry by James Bogle, after John Vanderlyn, 1861. Independence National Historical Park
"Mr. Gerry was at a loss to discover the policy of three members for the Executive…it would be a general with three heads."
--James Madison's Notes of Debates in the Federal Convention
Monday, June 4, 1787: The Convention Today
Resolved into the Committee of the Whole, the Convention considered Charles Pinckney's (SC) motion for a single executive. Roger Sherman (CT) agreed with the motion, if the executive would have council of advice. Robert Yates (NY) noted that Sherman argued that "Even the king of Great Britain has his privy council." Elbridge Gerry (MA) supported a single executive, rather than a three member executive which he thought would be "extremely inconvenient…particularly in military matters." The delegates agreed on a single executive, with a vote of 7 ayes, 3 no's (New York, Delaware and Maryland voted against the motion).
The Committee then considered an executive veto and agreed to give the executive a veto to an override by 2/3 of the legislatures. This would be a significant power for the single executive, and serve as a check on a strong national legislature.
The Committee also agreed that there should be a national judiciary with a supreme tribunal and one or more inferior courts.
Synopsis
Delegates Today
Resolved into the Committee of the Whole, the Convention considered Charles Pinckney's (SC) motion for a single executive. Roger Sherman (CT) agreed with the motion, if the executive would have council of advice. Robert Yates (NY) noted that Sherman argued that "Even the king of Great Britain has his privy council." Elbridge Gerry (MA) supported a single executive, rather than a three member executive which he thought would be "extremely inconvenient…particularly in military matters." The delegates agreed on a single executive, with a vote of 7 ayes, 3 no's (New York, Delaware and Maryland voted against the motion).
The Committee then considered an executive veto and agreed to give the executive a veto to an override by 2/3 of the legislatures. This would be a significant power for the single executive, and serve as a check on a strong national legislature.
The Committee also agreed that there should be a national judiciary with a supreme tribunal and one or more inferior courts.
Synopsis
- Agreed (7 – 3) on a single executive
- Agreed (8 – 2) to give the executive a veto over legislation subject to override by 2/3 of each branch of legislature
- Agreed to establish a national judiciary consisting of a supreme tribunal and one or more inferior tribunals
Delegates Today
- Doctor Johnson (CT) spent the afternoon at Noah Webster's.
- General Washington (VA) reviewed the Light Infantry and part of the Artillery, of the City. He dined with General Mifflin and drank tea with Miss Cadwallader.
- In the evening, Jacob Hiltzheimer and his wife went to Market Street gate to see General Washington, and were astonished by the number of people who followed him on all sides. Washington had been out on the field to review Captain Samuel Miles with his troop of horse, the light infantry, and artillery.
Last updated: July 23, 2019