Saturday 10. (the) Continental Senate under Consideran—(the) speakers as follows—
Cooley—(Querist) moved to pass it over Singletary fro[m] Sutton, against it—(the) Time for wh[ich] they are chosen is too long—
Deacon Davis, of Bo[ston] spoke in favor of it—
Dr. Taylor, of Douglas—agt it—
Singletary fro[m] Sutton—Danger to posterity—
Cooley (querist to query)
Gen Brooks jr—Senate unde[r] siffic[ien]t Checks—
Rufus King—explained & enlarged on (the) same Subject—said (that ) no certain Rule ever had been in (the) Power of Congress—therfore laid their Taxes as they found (the) States able—the) judgment founded on Conjecture—& (the) money paid considered as so much loaned on Credit by each state—& to be settled hereafter—(the) Case of Georgia was—before (the) War smal—much harrassed by it—since rapidly increasing—the No of Reps no more than w[ha]t they had or (would have) a right to considg their increasing popula[tio]n.
Parsons asked whether they (had) not suffd by Indian War.
Thomson—bro't in (the) Case of Bagaduce or Penobscot in wh[ich] we had advanced more (than our) proportion King answd—we never should gain a recompence but by such a Constitution as now proposed—
Thomson—a parcel of pathetic nonsense—
Dawes reads requisitions [i.e., resolutions] of Congress about money proportioned amg (the) States—
1Dalton answers Thomson—(the) pres[en]t Constitn gives us an adv[anta]g[e]—over Georgia & other small states—(the) Confederan gave each one Vote—now we (have) 8 to their 3. or takg in NHampe 9 to 3
2Wedgery asks whether their influence in the Senate was not as much as ever?
Dalton—answers gain upon (the) whole—
Snow—Somethg ab[ou]t a Porcupine by a member I know not who
3Dana. The Senate represents & secures (the) Sovereignty of each State, therefore (equal) voice—
Strong. a detail of proceedges in Convention ab[ou]t Senate—(that) Gerry was of (the) Committee about proportiong (the) Senate (that the) Comtee was aptd [i.e., appointed] because (the) small states were jealous of (the) large ones—& (the) Convention was nigh breakg up but for
4 this.
Dawes Query—Was (the) same Comtee about Rep—Ans[wer] no.
Jones of Bristol—obj[ects] to (the) duration of (the) Senate Ames. (the) Senate is to prevent (the) Consolidation of (the) States & keep alive their individuality & Sov[ereign]ty—
Shurtliff—obj[ects] to Consolidation—of (the) States Parsons distinguish Consolidation of (the) States from (that) of (the) Union—if (the) former then all States swallowed up in one—but (the) Union is rendered firm & indissoluble by the Constitution Jones renews objec[tio]n King answers—Senate will be checked by (the) Continental Reps—by (the) Legislat of each State who have a right to instruct & he is very bold who will dare disobey. it is nec[essar]y they sh[oul]d (have) a long duration nature of business requires it—
Taylor for recalling Delegates within (the) year—
Cooley Querist—Whether a Majority of Senators present make treaties if only 3—
Dana answers—'tis no Senate with[ou]t a Quorum 2/3 of a Quorum nec[essar]y.—
Gerry informed (the) President (that) he was stating a Number of facts respecting (the) Senate (he had been writing at (the) table for some time)—Dana—adverted to (the) Transaction of yesterday & moved (that) if G was preparing any thing it was proper (that) a Question should (be) proposed to him in writing G attempted to speak—Parsons insisted on his right (as) a Member to be heard—a long altercation ensued about G's attendance—his right to state facts & give reasons & (the) Time for adjournmt came without his having oppo[rtunity] to give in what he intended tho' a Q[uestio]n was reduced to writing by Wedgery—to this purpose—"(that) Mr G be desired to give Information respecting (the) Senate".
It appeared to me (that) Gerry was premature in offering his statement before he was called upon—(that) Dana was right in moving for a written Question & I suppose had not many other members interposed their Opinions (the) matter might (have) gone on but as they also insisted to be heard (the) matter was protracted till 1 a clock—G certainly was (the) first yesterday to insist on having a Question in writing—he then acquiesced in (the) determination to give his answer so—as he had now been preparing written statement he ought to have either waited till a Q[uestio]n was proposed—or to (have) privately procured somebody to put (the) Q[uestio]n-his offering it was premature & iregular.
after (the) adjornmt & before they got out of (the) Ho[use] Gerry & Dana had some pretty high words—on (the) affair—
It is my Opinion (that) if G had any regard to his own personal Dignity he (would) not sit there to be moved as a Machine only by (the) pull of both parties.—