The Convention – Powers of Congress

On August 16, 1787, the convention was in the midst of its deliberations. James Madison took extensive notes during the convention, which have become one of the most detailed records of what occurred. According to Madison’s notes, on August 16, the delegates continued their review of the draft of the Constitution and discussed issues related to:

1. The powers of Congress, particularly their ability to levy taxes and tariffs.
2. The prohibition of the exportation of goods without the consent of the legislature.
3. Representation in Congress, a contentious issue between large and small states.
4. The question of whether to prohibit Congress from granting titles of nobility.
5. The power of Congress in relation to the states, including the issue of vetoing state laws.

The discussions on many of these topics were led by key figures in the convention, including James Madison, Roger Sherman, Elbridge Gerry, Gouverneur Morris, and many others.

Conclusions were reached through a series of compromises. For instance, regarding representation, the convention eventually settled on the Connecticut Compromise (also known as the Great Compromise), which proposed a bicameral legislature with one house (the House of Representatives) based on population and another (the Senate) with equal representation for each state.