WEDNESDAY, JULY 11, 1787.

The next clause as to three-fifths of the negroes being considered: 

Mr. King, being much opposed to fixing numbers as the rule of representation, was particularly so on account of the blacks.  He thought the admission of them along with whites at all, would excite great discontents among the States having no slaves.  He had never said, as to any particular point, that he would in no event acquiesce in and support it; but he would say that if in any case such a declaration was to be made by him, it would be in this.

He remarked that in the temporary allotment of representatives made by the Committee, the Southern States had received more than the number of their white and three-fifths of their black inhabitants entitled them to.

Mr. Sherman.  South Carolina had not more beyond her proportion than New York and New Hampshire; nor either of them more than was necessary in order to avoid fractions, or reducing them below their proportion.  Georgia had more; but the rapid growth of that State seemed to justify it.  In general the allotment might not be just, but considering all circumstances he was satisfied with it.

Mr. Gorham was aware that there might be some weight in what had fallen from his colleague, as to the umbrage which might be taken by the people of the Eastern States.  But he recollected that when the proposition of Congress for changing the eighth Article of the Confederation was before the Legislature of Massachusetts, the only difficulty then was, to satisfy them that the negroes ought not to have been counted equally with the whites, instead of being counted in the ratio of three-fifths only.[1]

[Footnote 1:  They were then to have been a rule of taxation only.]

Mr. Wilson did not well see, on what principle the admission of blacks in the proportion of three fifths could be explained.  Are they admitted as citizens—­then why are they not admitted on an equality with white citizens?  Are they admitted as property—­then why is not other property admitted into the computation?  These were difficulties, however, which he thought must be overruled by the necessity of compromise.  He had some apprehensions also, from the tendency of the blending of the blacks with the whites, to give disgust to the people of Pennsylvania, as had been intimated by his colleague (Mr. Gouverneur Morris.)

Mr. Gouvemeur Morris was compelled to declare himself reduced to the dilemma of doing injustice to the Southern States, or to human nature; and he must therefore do it to the former.  For he could never agree to give such encouragement to the slave trade, as would be given by allowing them a representation for their negroes; and he did not believe those States would ever confederate on terms that would deprive them of that trade.

On the question for agreeing to include three-fifths of the blacks,—­Connecticut, Virginia, North Carolina.  Georgia, aye—­4; Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland,[2] South Carolina, no—­6. pp. 1076-7-8.