Restore the Virginia Plan
The Virginia Plan was the initial proposal for replacing the failed Articles of Confederation.
Drafted by James Madison and Edmund Randolph, with the support of guys like George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Alexander Hamilton.
It was supported by seven of the original thirteen states representing 70% of the national population.
Here is the text of the Virginia Plan, not as originally submitted, but as cleared through Committee and put before the entire convention (my notes in red).
State of the resolutions submitted to the consideration of the House by the honorable Mr. Randolph, as altered, amended, and agreed to, in a Committee of the whole House.
1. Resolved. That it is the opinion of this Committee that a national government ought to be established consisting of a Supreme Legislative, Judiciary, and Executive.
Framers were influenced by Montesquieu and his theory that "power checks power."
2. Resolved. That the national Legislature ought to consist of Two Branches.
From the beginning, the Framers intended a bicameral legislature.
3. Resolved. That the members of the first branch of the national Legislature ought to be elected by the People of the several States for the term of Three years; to receive fixed stipends paid out of the National Treasury; to be ineligible to any Office established by a particular State or under the authority of the United States (except those peculiarly belonging to the functions of the first branch) during the term of service, and under the national government for one year after its expiration.
The first branch was what we now call the House of Representatives, a full-time job; Representatives were to be selected by the people.
4. Resolved. That the members of the second Branch of the national Legislature ought to be chosen by the individual Legislatures; to be of the age of thirty years at least; to hold their offices for a term sufficient to ensure their independency, namely seven years; with the same stipend and ineligibility rules as the first branch.
The second branch was what we now call the Senate, also full-time; Senators were to be chosen by state legislatures.
5. Resolved. That each branch ought to possess the right of originating acts.
Both House and Senate had the power to make laws.
6. Resolved. That the national Legislature ought to be empowered to enjoy the legislative rights vested in Congress by the Confederation — and moreover to legislate in all cases to which the separate States are incompetent, or in which the harmony of the United States may be interrupted by individual legislation; to negative all State laws contravening, in the opinion of the national Legislature, the articles of union or any treaties.
Congress had the power to void state laws.
7. Resolved. That the right of suffrage in the first branch of the national Legislature ought to be according to some equitable ratio of representation — in proportion to the whole number of white and other free citizens and inhabitants of every age, sex, and condition, including those bound to servitude for a term of years, and three fifths of all other persons not comprehended in the foregoing description, except Indians not paying taxes in each State.
Representatives to the House were to be selected by proportional representation.
8. Resolved. That the right of suffrage in the second branch of the national Legislature ought to be according to the rule established for the first.
Senators the same: proportional representation.
9. Resolved. That a national Executive be instituted to consist of a single person, chosen by the National Legislature for a term of seven years; with power to carry into execution the national Laws, appoint to Offices not otherwise provided for; ineligible a second time; removable on impeachment and conviction of malpractice or neglect of duty; with a fixed stipend from the national Treasury.
The Presidency defined.
10. Resolved. That the national executive shall have a right to negative any legislative act, which shall not afterwards be passed unless by two-thirds of each branch.
President had veto power.
11. Resolved. That a national Judiciary be established to consist of One Supreme Tribunal; Judges appointed by the second Branch of the National Legislature; to hold their offices during good behaviour; to receive at stated times a fixed compensation, in which no increase or diminution shall be made so as to affect persons actually in office at the time.
National Judiciary defined.
12. Resolved. That the national Legislature be empowered to appoint inferior Tribunals.
Congress to define structure of national judiciary.
13. Resolved. That the jurisdiction of the national Judiciary shall extend to cases which respect the collection of the national revenue, impeachments of any national officers, and questions which involve the national peace and harmony.
Judicial power defined, basically to keep things fair.
14. Resolved. That provision ought to be made for the admission of States, lawfully arising within the limits of the United States, whether from a voluntary junction of government and territory or otherwise, with the consent of a number of voices in the national Legislature less than the whole.
Framers recognized that the thirteen states were to become more.
15. Resolved. That provision ought to be made for the continuance of Congress and their authorities until a given day after the reform of the articles of Union shall be adopted, and for the completion of all their engagements.
Housekeeping for the transition.
16. Resolved. That a republican constitution, and its existing laws, ought to be guaranteed to each State by the United States.
Guarantee of democracy.
17. Resolved. That provision ought to be made for the amendment of the articles of Union, whensoever it shall seem necessary.
Acknowledgement that a system needed to be set up to allow constitutional amendments.
18. Resolved. That the Legislative, Executive, and Judiciary powers within the several States ought to be bound by oath to support the articles of Union.
Considered important, as the states were concrete, but this new nation was still basically an abstraction.
19. Resolved. That the amendments which shall be offered to the confederation by the Convention, ought at a proper time or times, after the approbation of Congress, to be submitted to an assembly or assemblies of representatives, recommended by the several Legislatures, to be expressly chosen by the People to consider and decide thereon.
The new constitution had to be approved by the people.