Part of a series of articles titled The Constitutional Convention: A Day by Day Account for May 1787.
Article
May 29, 1787: Virginia and Pinckney Plans Submitted
James McHenry by James Sharples Senior, from life, c. 1796-1800
"We are beginning to enter seriously upon the business of the convention…"
--Maryland delegate James McHenry to his wife Peggy, May 29, 1787
Tuesday, May 29, 1787: The Convention Today
The Convention took two critical actions today: adopting secrecy rules and referring the Virginia and Pinckney Plans to the Committee of the Whole. Speaking for the Rules Committee, George Wythe reported, "That nothing spoken in the House be printed, or otherwise published, or communicated without leave." The secrecy rules allowed delegates to discuss, debate and change their positions without criticism in the press or by the public. Secrecy promoted the process of compromise. The details of the debates remained remarkably confidential.
Governor Edmund Randolph of Virginia then opened the business of the Convention, speaking at length about the defects of the Articles of Confederation and proposing 15 resolutions (the Virginia Plan). These resolutions would serve as principles on which to form a new government. Delegate Robert Yates of New York noted that Randolph "candidly confessed…that he meant a strong consolidated union, in which the idea of states should be nearly annihilated."
Charles Pinckney of South Carolina then proposed his own plan of union. Both the Virginia and Pinckney plans were referred to the Committee of the Whole for consideration. With the decision to refer the plans, the Convention had committed itself to creating a new plan of government, a framework completely different than the Articles of Confederation's "firm league of friendship."
Note: Pinckney later claimed that his draft served as the basis for the final Constitution, but he could never prove this assertion. Pinckney's original plan does not survive. No more was mentioned of it until July 24 when the Committee of the Whole was released from consideration of the Pinckney plan. On that same day, the Pinckney plan was referred to the Committee of Detail tasked with drafting a constitution from the discussions/decisions made up to that point.
Synopsis
The Convention took two critical actions today: adopting secrecy rules and referring the Virginia and Pinckney Plans to the Committee of the Whole. Speaking for the Rules Committee, George Wythe reported, "That nothing spoken in the House be printed, or otherwise published, or communicated without leave." The secrecy rules allowed delegates to discuss, debate and change their positions without criticism in the press or by the public. Secrecy promoted the process of compromise. The details of the debates remained remarkably confidential.
Governor Edmund Randolph of Virginia then opened the business of the Convention, speaking at length about the defects of the Articles of Confederation and proposing 15 resolutions (the Virginia Plan). These resolutions would serve as principles on which to form a new government. Delegate Robert Yates of New York noted that Randolph "candidly confessed…that he meant a strong consolidated union, in which the idea of states should be nearly annihilated."
Charles Pinckney of South Carolina then proposed his own plan of union. Both the Virginia and Pinckney plans were referred to the Committee of the Whole for consideration. With the decision to refer the plans, the Convention had committed itself to creating a new plan of government, a framework completely different than the Articles of Confederation's "firm league of friendship."
Note: Pinckney later claimed that his draft served as the basis for the final Constitution, but he could never prove this assertion. Pinckney's original plan does not survive. No more was mentioned of it until July 24 when the Committee of the Whole was released from consideration of the Pinckney plan. On that same day, the Pinckney plan was referred to the Committee of Detail tasked with drafting a constitution from the discussions/decisions made up to that point.
Synopsis
- The Committee on Rules reported. The Convention adopted 5 additional rules, including secrecy
- Randolph submitted his Fifteen Resolutions, known as the Virginia Plan
- Pinckney submitted his plan of government
- The Convention agreed to meet the following day as a Committee of the Whole (a structure that allows for all the members of the Convention to weigh in, change course, and explore options before making final decisions)
- General Washington "dined at home," after which he accompanied Mrs. Morris to the benefit concert of a Mr. Juhan.
- John Dickinson wrote "My dear Polly" (his wife of nearly 17 years, Mary Norris,) to report a pleasant journey and send his "tenderest love to our precious children."
- After morning fog, the day turned very fair, and warmer, with a mean temperature of 59°.
- The City Street Commissioners met, all six present. Commissioners Ozeas and Richards were chosen "to direct the rebuilding of the chimney of a Negro house, lately removed out of Filbert Street” (the house seems to have been built before the street was surveyed. To open the street, the house had to be torn down, and that meant rebuilding it elsewhere.)
Last updated: July 20, 2019