Hillsborough ratification convention, 1788

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Dated events connected with this event, earliest first. See these 23 dated events in the chronology →

1. July 21–August 4, 1788 Hillsborough Convention declines to ratify the Constitution Meeting at St. Matthew's Church in Hillsborough, delegates defeated a motion to ratify the Constitution 184 to 84 on August 1, 1788. On August 2 they voted to neither ratify nor reject it until a declaration of rights and amendments went before Congress. People: Samuel Johnston, Richard Dobbs Spaight, Willie Jones, James IredellColonial and State Records of North Carolina, vol. 22, pp. 1-35: Minutes of the North Carolina Constitutional Convention at Hillsborough
2. July 21, 1788 The convention appoints a committee of privileges and elections with three members from each district The convention set up a 27-member committee of privileges and elections, three from each district, which went on to rule on the disputed returns. Alexander Mebane of Orange County sat on it with Thomas Person, William R. Davie and James Iredell. People: Thomas Person, James Iredell, William Richardson DavieDocumenting the American South: Proceedings and Debates of the Convention of North-Carolina, Hillsborough, 1788, p. 20
3. July 21, 1788 The convention names a select committee to draft its rules of debate On its first day the convention asked William R. Davie, Thomas Person, James Iredell, Elisha Battle, Richard Dobbs Spaight, Samuel Spencer and a member named McDonald to propose rules for its discussion of the Constitution. People: Thomas Person, James Iredell, Richard Dobbs Spaight, William Richardson DavieDocumenting the American South: Proceedings and Debates of the Convention of North-Carolina, Hillsborough, 1788, p. 19
4. July 21, 1788 The ratification convention opens at Hillsborough and elects Governor Samuel Johnston its president A majority of the elected delegates met at the church in Hillsborough and chose Governor Samuel Johnston president without a dissenting vote. They then named John Hunt and James Taylor clerks and appointed doorkeepers. People: Samuel JohnstonDocumenting the American South: Proceedings and Debates of the Convention of North-Carolina, Hillsborough, 1788, p. 19
5. July 22, 1788 The convention adopts eighteen rules for the conduct of its members The rules committee reported and the convention agreed to its rules with one article left out. The rules let any two members call for a recorded yea-and-nay vote and excused Quaker members from the ban on wearing hats in the house.Documenting the American South: Proceedings and Debates of the Convention of North-Carolina, Hillsborough, 1788, p. 20
6. July 22, 1788 William Lenoir brings a petition against the Dobbs County election before the convention On Lenoir's motion the convention read the Dobbs County return and a petition from county residents complaining of an illegal election, and sent both to the committee of elections. Richard Dobbs Spaight and Stephen Cabarrus added depositions and the sheriff's copy of the poll. People: William Lenoir, Richard Dobbs SpaightDocumenting the American South: Proceedings and Debates of the Convention of North-Carolina, Hillsborough, 1788, p. 21
7. July 23, 1788 The convention has the state and federal founding documents read and receives news of two states' ratifications On James Galloway's motion, seconded by Macon, the clerks read the state Bill of Rights and constitution, the Articles of Confederation, the act naming North Carolina's deputies to Philadelphia and the resolve of Congress sending the Constitution to the states. Johnston then laid before the members official accounts of ratification by Massachusetts and South Carolina. People: Samuel JohnstonDocumenting the American South: Proceedings and Debates of the Convention of North-Carolina, Hillsborough, 1788, p. 23
8. July 23, 1788 The convention unseats the Dobbs County delegates and voids both of the county's elections The committee of elections reported that a riot at the first Dobbs poll had carried off the ballot box before all the ballots were counted, and that a majority of the county had not approved the second election the governor recommended. The convention agreed that the sitting members vacate their seats and that both elections were void.Documenting the American South: Proceedings and Debates of the Convention of North-Carolina, Hillsborough, 1788, p. 22
9. July 23, 1788 Willie Jones moves that the Hillsborough Convention vote on the Constitution at once Jones moved that the question on the federal Constitution be put immediately, arguing that members had long since made up their minds and that a long sitting would waste public money. Thomas Person seconded him and James Iredell objected. The convention took up the Constitution clause by clause instead, debating it for eleven days. People: James Iredell, Thomas PersonSearch the index · Documenting the American South: Proceedings and Debates of the Convention of North-Carolina, Convened at Hillsborough, on Monday the 21st Day of July, 1788
10. July 24, 1788 The convention resolves itself into a committee of the whole with Elisha Battle in the chair After David Caldwell's attempt to fix governing maxims for the debate was set aside, the delegates went into committee of the whole, Elisha Battle presiding, and began reading the proposed Constitution clause by clause. The committee sat each day through July 31 except Sunday, July 27. People: James Iredell, Willie Jones, David CaldwellDocumenting the American South: Proceedings and Debates of the Convention of North-Carolina, 1788
11. July 25, 1788 The convention rules that Fayetteville has no right to a delegate and seats Thomas Devane for New Hanover Adopting a second report from the committee of elections, the convention held that the town of Fayetteville had no right of representation, so John Ingram, returned for the town, could not sit. It seated Thomas Devane Sr. for New Hanover County, finding that ballots for him written two ways were meant for the same man.Documenting the American South: Proceedings and Debates of the Convention of North-Carolina, Hillsborough, 1788, p. 58
12. July 30, 1788 Governor Johnston moves in committee that the convention ratify and propose amendments afterward When the committee of the whole reached the seventh article, read without objection, Johnston moved that North Carolina ratify the Constitution and at the same time propose amendments to be made by one of the methods it provides. His motion put the question of ratification before the committee for the first time. People: Samuel JohnstonDocumenting the American South: Proceedings and Debates of the Convention of North-Carolina, Hillsborough, 1788, p. 227
13. July 30, 1788 Willie Jones's previous question carries 183 to 84, setting aside Johnston's ratification motion Jones answered Johnston by moving the previous question, meaning to bring in his own resolution calling for amendments before North Carolina adopted the Constitution. After long argument the committee carried it 183 to 84, and its chairman, James Kenan, reported resolutions not yet put in form. People: Willie Jones, Samuel JohnstonDocumenting the American South: Proceedings and Debates of the Convention of North-Carolina, Hillsborough, 1788, p. 250
14. July 31, 1788 The committee of the whole adopts Willie Jones's resolution for a declaration of rights and amendments before ratification After a day of debate on the resolution, Davie asked that the amendments be taken one at a time, but the committee approved the resolution as it stood by a large majority. Kenan reported it to the convention, which ordered it to lie on the table overnight. People: Willie Jones, William Richardson DavieDocumenting the American South: Proceedings and Debates of the Convention of North-Carolina, Hillsborough, 1788, p. 268
15. August 1, 1788 Iredell's motion to ratify and recommend amendments afterward is defeated 184 to 84 Declaring all debate at an end and the majority irresistible, James Iredell moved that the convention ratify the Constitution and recommend amendments afterward, so that the minority's view would stand on the journal. The yeas and nays were taken and the motion lost, 84 to 184. People: James Iredell, Willie JonesDocumenting the American South: Proceedings and Debates of the Convention of North-Carolina, 1788
16. August 1, 1788 Orange County's delegates vote against ratifying the Constitution before amendments In the 184 to 84 roll call that defeated Iredell's amendment to ratify, Alexander Mebane, William Mebane, William McCauley, Jonathan Lindley and William Shepperd of Orange all voted no, as did A. Tatom. The next day the same members voted to concur in the declaration of rights and amendments.Documenting the American South: Proceedings and Debates of the Convention of North-Carolina, Hillsborough, 1788, p. 278
17. August 1, 1788 The majority votes to keep Iredell's ratification motion off the journal, then agrees to let it be offered as an amendment When Samuel Spencer moved to concur with the committee's report, Iredell moved to postpone it for his own resolution, and the house fell into confusion, with Whitmill Hill warning that the minority would secede. Willie Jones carried a motion that Iredell's motion had no right to a place on the journal, but while the yeas and nays were being taken the two sides agreed that Spencer would withdraw and Iredell would offer his resolution as an amendment. People: James Iredell, Willie JonesDocumenting the American South: Proceedings and Debates of the Convention of North-Carolina, Hillsborough, 1788, p. 275
18. August 2, 1788 The convention adopts a declaration of rights and twenty-six amendments to be laid before Congress before ratification On Thomas Person's motion the convention concurred with its committee of the whole, resolving that a declaration of rights of twenty articles and twenty-six amendments to the most ambiguous and exceptionable parts of the Constitution be laid before Congress and a convention of the states before North Carolina would ratify. On Willie Jones's motions it also recommended a state impost matching whatever Congress laid, urged redemption of the paper currency, and ordered the resolutions sent to Congress and the twelve other states. People: Willie Jones, Archibald Maclaine, Thomas Person, William Richardson DavieDocumenting the American South: Proceedings and Debates of the Convention of North-Carolina, 1788
19. August 2, 1788 The convention directs its president to send its resolutions to Congress and the other twelve states A unanimous resolution asked Samuel Johnston to forward the resolution on the Constitution, with the impost and paper money resolutions, to Congress and to the executives of the twelve other states. People: Samuel Johnston, Willie JonesDocumenting the American South: Proceedings and Debates of the Convention of North-Carolina, Hillsborough, 1788, p. 280
20. August 2, 1788 The convention recommends that North Carolina collect an impost for the use of Congress Having neither ratified nor rejected the Constitution, the convention adopted by a large majority Willie Jones's resolution asking the legislature to lay a duty on goods imported into North Carolina whenever Congress laid an impost in the ratifying states, and to pay the money to Congress. People: Willie JonesDocumenting the American South: Proceedings and Debates of the Convention of North-Carolina, Hillsborough, 1788, p. 279
21. August 2, 1788 The convention unanimously urges the Assembly to redeem the state's paper currency On Willie Jones's motion, seconded by James Galloway, the convention asked the General Assembly to retire the state's paper currency as quickly as the people's circumstances allowed. People: Willie JonesDocumenting the American South: Proceedings and Debates of the Convention of North-Carolina, Hillsborough, 1788, p. 280
22. August 4, 1788 The convention adjourns sine die after fixing the seat of government at Isaac Hunter's in Wake County With the Constitution neither ratified nor rejected, the convention turned to its second charge, the seat of government. A ballot on August 2 fixed it at Isaac Hunter's in Wake County, and on Monday, August 4, after approving the ordinance for it, the convention adjourned sine die. People: Samuel JohnstonDocumenting the American South: Minutes of the North Carolina Constitutional Convention at Hillsborough
23. November 21, 1789 A second convention at Fayetteville ratifies the Constitution 195 to 77 Sixteen months after the Hillsborough convention withheld ratification, a second convention that opened at Fayetteville on the third Monday of November 1789 voted to adopt and ratify the Constitution, 195 to 77, and adjourned the next day. Congress had by then sent the states the amendments that became the Bill of Rights. People: Samuel Johnston, Willie JonesDocumenting the American South: Minutes of the North Carolina Constitutional Convention at Fayetteville