Page:The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787 Volume 2.djvu/241

 KECORDS OF THE FEDERAL CONVENTION 235 Thursday MADISON August 9 Art. V. sect. zd. taken Mr. Govr. Morris moved to insert after the words "im- mediately after", the following "they shall be assembled in consequence of" which was agreed to nero. con. as was then the whole sect 2. Art: V. sect. 3- taken up. n Mr. Govr. Morris moved to insert x 4 instead of 4 years citizenship as a qualification for Senators; urging the danger of admitting strangers into our public Councils. Mr. Pinkney 2ds. him Mr. Elseworth. was opposed to the motion as discouraging meritorious aliens from emigrating to this Country. Mr. Pinkney. As the Senate is to have the power of mak- ing treaties & managing our foreign affairs, there is peculiar danger and impropriety in opening its door to those who have foreign attachments. He quoted the jealousy of the Athen- ians on this subject who made it death for any stranger to intrude his voice into their legislative proceedings. Col. Mason highly approved of the policy of the motion. Were it not that many not natives of this Country had acquired great merit during the revolution, he should be for restraining the eligibility into the Senate, to natives. Mr. (Madison) was not averse to some restrictions on this subject; but could never agree to the proposed amendment. He thought any restriction (however) in the Constitution 2 unnecessary, and improper. unnecessary; because the Natl. Leglslre. is to have the right of regulating naturalization, and can by virtue thereof fix different periods of residence as con- ditions of enjoying different privileges of Citizenship: Im- 0 Article V, Sect. . "The Senators shall be chosen for six years; but irame& lately after the first election they shall be divided, by lot, into three classes, a8 nearly as may be, numbered one, two and three. The seats of the members of the tirst class shall be vacated at the expiration of the second year, of the second class at the xpira- tion of the fourth year, of the third class at the expiration of the sixth year, o that a third part of the members may be chosen every second year." n Article V, Sect. 3. "Exery member of the Senate shall be of the age of thirty years at least; shall have been a citizen of the United States for at least four years before his election; and shall be, at the time of his election, a resident of the State or which he shall be chosen." ' Underscoring was a later rvlslon,

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