Page:The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787 Volume 2.djvu/399

 F. ECOF. DS OF THE FEDERAL COiVENTION 39 Thursday MADISON .,l ugust 2 3 thing we should wish for. Such treaties could not be other- wise made, if his amendment shd. succeed. In general he was not solicitous to multiply & facilitate Treaties. wished none to be made with G. Britain, till she should be at war. Then a good bargain might be made with her. So with other foreign powers. The more difficulty in making treaties, the more value will be set on them. Mr. Wilson. In the most important Treaties, the King of G. Britain being obliged to resort to Parliament for the exe- cution of them, is under the same fetters as the amendment of Mr. Morris will impose on the Senate. It was refused yesterday to permit even the Legislature to lay duties on exports. Under the clause, without the amendment, the Senate alone can make a Treaty, requiring all the Rice of S. Carolina to be sent to some one particular port. Mr. Dickinson concurred in the amendment, as most safe and proper, tho' he was sensible it was unfavorable to the little States; wch would otherwise have an equal share in making Treaties. Docr. Johnson thought there was something of solecism in saying that the acts of a Minister with plenipotentiary powers from one Body, should depend for ratification on another Body. The Example of the King of G. B. was not parallel. Full & cornpleat power was vested in him--If the Parlia- ment should fail to provide the necessary means of execution, the Treaty would be violated. Mr. Ghorum in answer to Mr. Govr Morris, said that negociations on the spot were not to be desired by us, especially if the whole Legislature is to have any thing to do with Treaties. It will be generally influenced by two or three men, who will be corrupted by the Ambassadors here. In such a Government as ours, it is necessary to guard against the Government itself being seduced. Mr. Randolph observing that almost every Speaker had made objections to the clause as it stood, moved in order to a further consideration of the subject, that the Motion of Mr. Govr. Morris should be postponed, and on this question <It wa.s los. t the State being equally divided.)

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