i8o Kansas liNiVRRStrv QLfAi<TERi.Y. 



upper house as did Franklin's plan. It was therefore unacceptable to 

 a majority of the states and was stricken out, August 13.* On 

 August 15 still another proposition was made which was intended to 

 win the favor of the small states. This amendment while reserving 

 to the House of Representatives the right of originating money bills, . 

 added the concession "but the Senate may propose or concur with 

 amendments as in other cases. "'f This new proposition for com- 

 promise was not brought up for immediate consideration, but was 

 postponed until August 31, and on that date the amendment was 

 referred with several other subjects to a committee of one from each 

 state. On September 4, this committee made a report suggesting 

 that the Senate should be given the exclusive power to ratify treaties, 

 to try all impeachments, and to confirm the appointment of officers, 

 while, as a return for these e.xclusive powers, the committee reported 

 the following clause; "All bills for raising revenue shall originate in 

 the House of Representatives, antl shall be subject to alterations and 

 amendments by the Senate. "^ This jiroposal seemed to be very 

 nearly what had been at first demanded and at the same time was less 

 objectionable to the small states. On September 8th, the question 

 came up for final consideration, and a speech by Gerry, in which he 

 argued that the plan of the convention would certainly be rejected by 

 the people if the Senate was not restricted from the origination of 

 money bills, >; led finally to the adoption of the proposition in the 

 form in which it is found in Art. I, Sec. 7, of the Constitution, "All 

 bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House of Representa- 

 tives, but the Senate may propose or concur with amendments as on 

 other bills. "II The discussions of the convention clearly indicate 

 that the provision was not generally regarded as involving an essential 

 constitutional principle. Many considered it the most convenient 

 ground upon which to base a compromise, others thought it necessary 

 for the adoption of the constitution by the people, while there were a 

 few who were either in favor of it because of a firm belief in the 

 principle or were opposed to it because of an equally firm disbelief 

 in the wisdom of such a provision. The spirit of compromise 

 predominated finally and the provision was accepted with but two 

 dissenting votes, Maryland and Delaware.** 



*Elllotfs Debates. Vol. V. p. 420. 



Ubid.. p. 437. 



Jlbld., p. 509. 



IMadison Paper-. Vol. III. p. 1?X)9. 



'Ihil..p. 16).'. This ctiaa'.:e in woivlin^ was m-i:le at the last minute and is said to have 

 been derived from the constitution of Missachuselts. 



♦♦This is the more remarkable as the two states voting a?rainst the provision are the 

 very states whose constitutions previous to 1767 contain stringent provisions in regard 

 to money bills. 



