much greater willingness to consider the strengthening of the central
government. Many details were yet to be arranged, and sharp differences
of opinion existed in connection with the executive as well as with the
judiciary. But these difficulties were slight in comparison with those
which they had already surmounted in the matter of representation. By
the end of July the fifteen resolutions of the original Virginia
Plan had been increased to twenty-three, with many enlargements and
amendments, and the Convention had gone as far as it could effectively
in determining the general principles upon which the government should
be formed. There were too many members to work efficiently when it came
to the actual framing of a constitution with all the inevitable details
that were necessary in setting up a machinery of government. Accordingly
this task was turned over to a committee of five members who had already
given evidence of their ability in this direction. Rutledge was made the
chairman, and the others were Randolph, Gorham, Ellsworth, and Wilson.
To give them time to perfect their work, on the 26th of July the
Convention adjourned for ten days.

CHAPTER VII. FINISHING THE WORK

Rutledge and his associates on the committee of detail accomplished so
much in such a short time that it seems as if they must have worked day
and night. Their efforts marked a distinct stage in the development of
the Constitution. The committee left no records, but some of the members
retained among their private papers drafts of the different stages of
the report they were framing, and we are therefore able to surmise the
way in which the committee proceeded. Of course the members were bound
by the resolutions which had been adopted by the Convention and they
held themselves closely to the general principles that had been laid
down. But in the elaboration of details they seem to have begun with the
Articles of Confederation and to have used all of that document that was
consistent with the new plan of government. Then they made use of the
New Jersey Plan, which had been put forward by the smaller States, and
of a third plan which had been presented by Charles Pinckney; for the
rest they drew largely upon the State Constitutions. By a combination
of these different sources the committee prepared a document bearing a
close resemblance to the present Constitution, although subjects were in
a different order and in somewhat different proporti