The Gentlemen who have been present from the different States have daily attended at the State House, and as often have been in expectation of meeting a competent number of States to proceed to business, but as yet only six are represented by a quorum, viz. New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, North and South Carolina. There are Members also from Massachusetts, Georgia, Maryland, and Jersey and one Gentleman from the latter would form a quorum; he is hourly expected; when he shall arrive it is probable that the business will be entered upon. All the States have now appointed except Rhode Island and no good is to be expected from her. I have enclosed you a News Paper which will give you an account of some of their proceedings. Very little has yet been said upon the subject of the present meeting, therefore 'tis difficult to gather any thing whereon to form an opinion of their views.
It is universally agreed that something ought to be done to establish the Government of the United States upon a more respectable footing than the present system.
1 The Members of the Convention being fully impressed with a sense of this, do not talk of separating, but intend (at least) to attempt some plan. Two Legislative Branches and one Executive seems to be a prevailing sentiment; but how extensive their powers will be a weighty subject of consideration. One Plan has made its appearance introduced by a Mr. Pinckney of S. Carolina. It appears to me to be a Compound, abstracted from the several Constitutions and the Articles of Confederation, except in a few particulars; one of them is
a proposed Consolidation of the States and Members to be sent to the Federal Councils in proportion to the Number of Inhabitants; this will by no means be agreeable to the Citizens of the lesser States, tho it will be an object with the larger ones.
2 We have no powers given us to treat on that tender subject and tho I am convinced there is not a Member from our State who could be draged into a Measure of the kind, yet I am well pleased that the Legislature shewed their disapprobation to it in the Act appointing their Deputies.