Fayetteville Convention

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Governor Samuel Johnston presided over the Convention Samuel Johnston Bust.JPG
Governor Samuel Johnston presided over the Convention

The Fayetteville Convention was a meeting by 271 delegates from North Carolina to ratify the US Constitution. Governor Samuel Johnston presided over the convention, which met in Fayetteville, North Carolina, from November 16 to 23, 1789 to debate on and decide on the ratification of the Constitution, which had recommended to the states by the Philadelphia Convention during the summer of 1787. The delegates ratified the Constitution by a vote of 194 to 77, thus making North Carolina the 12th state to ratify the constitution. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

Contents

Location

Market House, on site of the State House in Fayetteville Old South Market House (226915019).jpg
Market House, on site of the State House in Fayetteville

The Fayetteville Convention was held at the State House in Fayetteville, which was a large brick building built in 1788 in anticipation of Fayetteville becoming the capital of North Carolina. Although the North Carolina General Assembly met in the building in 1789, 1789 and 1793, it moved permanently to Raleigh, North Carolina in 1794. The State House, along with most of Fayetteville, was destroyed by a large fire in 1831. The Market House was built on the site in 1832. [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]

Proceedings

William Richardson Davie, Town of Halifax delegate William Richardson Davie - Charles Willson Peale (full portrait) (frame cropped).jpg
William Richardson Davie, Town of Halifax delegate
Scene at the signing of the Constitution of the United States. Signing is Richard Dobbs Spaight, and behind him is William Blount and Hugh Williamson. Scene at the Signing of the Constitution of the United States.jpg
Scene at the signing of the Constitution of the United States. Signing is Richard Dobbs Spaight, and behind him is William Blount and Hugh Williamson.

The prior Hillsborough Convention had decided neither to ratify or to reject the Constitution. The Federalists waged a successful campaign in the 1789 elections, which resulted in Anti-Federalists receiving less than one third of the 272 seats at the Fayetteville Convention. One factor leading to the Federalist majority was the election of George Washington as President and the resulting stable government, which dispelled Anti-Federalists' fears about unbridled federal power. Influential Federalists controlled most of the North Carolina newspapers and used them to vigorously support ratification of the Constitution to the demise of Anti-Federalists. The introduction of the Bill of Rights also helped to neutralize the Ant-Federalists' objections. Thus, when the Hillsborough Convention opened on November 16, the outcome for ratification of the Constitution had been almost assured. [1]

As a final compromise, the delegates agreed to present to Congress eight amendments not covered by the proposed Bill of Rights. They included issues such as limits on congressional taxing power and on the enlistment terms for soldiers. On November 20, William Richardson Davie brought the ratification question to the Convention, which it approved with a vote of 195 to 77. As a result, North Carolina became the twelfth state to approve the U.S. Constitution. After the vote, John Huske of Wilmington led a walkout of 68 Anti-Federalists from the chambers. The convention was adjourned on November 23. [1] [12] [13]

The following amendments proposed by James Galloway were unanimously approved by the convention on November 23: [12]

  1. "That Congress shall not alter, modify, or interfere in the times, places and manner of holding elections for Senators and Representatives, or either of them, except when the Legislature of any State shall neglect, refuse, or be disabled by invasion or rebellion to prescribe the same, or in case when the provision made by the State is so imperfect as that no consequent election is had."
  2. "That Congress shall not, directly or indirectly, either by themselves or through the Judiciary, interfere with any one of the States in the redemption of paper money already emitted and now in circulation, or in liquidating and discharging the public securities of any one of the States; but each and every State shall have the exclusive right of making such laws and regulations for the above purposes, as they shall think proper."
  3. "That the members of the Senate and House of Representatives shall be ineligible to and incapable of holding any civil office under the authority of the United States during the time for which they shall respectively be elected."
  4. "That the journals of the proceedings of the Senate and House of Representatives shall be published at least once in every year, except such parts thereof relating to treaties, alliances, or military operations, as in their judgment require secrecy."
  5. "That a regular statement and account of the receipts and expenditures of all public monies shall be published at least once in every year."
  6. "That no navigation law, or law regulating commerce, shall be passed, without the consent of two-thirds of the members present in both Houses."
  7. "That no soldier shall be enlisted for any longer term than four years, except in time of war, and then for no longer term than the continuance of the war."
  8. "That some tribunal, other than the Senate, be provided for trying impeachments of Senators."

Delegates

later Gov. Benjamin Smith, Brunswick delegate Governor Benjamin Smith.jpg
later Gov. Benjamin Smith, Brunswick delegate
William Lenoir, Wilkes delegate William-lenoir-by-oertel.jpg
William Lenoir, Wilkes delegate
Joseph Graham, Mecklenburg delegate General Joseph Graham.jpg
Joseph Graham, Mecklenburg delegate
James Kenan, Duplin delegate James Kenan.jpg
James Kenan, Duplin delegate
Joseph McDowell, Jr, Burke delegate JosephMcDowellJr.jpg
Joseph McDowell, Jr, Burke delegate
John Sevier, Greene delegate John Sevier.jpg
John Sevier, Greene delegate
John Baptista Ashe, Halifax delegate John Baptista Ashe.jpg
John Baptista Ashe, Halifax delegate
William Blount, Pitt delegate William-blount-wb-cooper.jpg
William Blount, Pitt delegate
Joseph Winston, Surry delegate Col. Joseph Winston.jpeg
Joseph Winston, Surry delegate
Benjamin Hawkins, Warren delegate NC-Congress-BenjaminHawkins.jpg
Benjamin Hawkins, Warren delegate
Hugh Williamson, Tyrrell delegate and signer of the Constitution Hugh Williamson-1-.jpg
Hugh Williamson, Tyrrell delegate and signer of the Constitution

There were 271 delegates from 61 counties and six cities/districts of North Carolina. Some counties later became part of the state of Tennessee in 1796. Governor Samuel Johnston from Perquimans County presiding over the convention. Charles Johnson from Chowan County was the vice-president of the Convention. John Hunt and James Taylor were appointed as secretary and assistant secretary, respectively, of the convention. Peter Gooding, James Mulloy, William Murphy, and Nicholas Murphey were appointed as doorkeepers of the convention.: [12] [14]

County/CityDelegateVote (Yea/Nay)
Anson County The Hon. Samuel Spencer Nay
Anson County Jesse Gilbert Yea
Anson County Pleasant May Nay
Anson County Thomas Wade Yea
Anson County David Jameson Yea
Beaufort County John G. Blount Yea
Beaufort County William Brown Yea
Beaufort County Richard Grist Yea
Beaufort County Alderson Ellison Yea
Beaufort County Silas W. Arnett Yea
Bertie County John JohnstonYea
Bertie CountyFrancis PughYea
Bertie CountyWilliam Johnston DawsonYea
Bertie CountyDavid TurnerYea
Bertie CountyDavid StoneYea
Brunswick County Benjamin Smith Yea
Brunswick CountyWilliam E. LordNay
Brunswick CountyWilliam GauseYea
Brunswick CountyJohn HallYea
Brunswick CountyDennis HawkinsYea
Bladen County John CowanYea
Bladen CountyThomas OwenYea
Bladen CountyJoseph GaitierNay
Bladen CountyThomas BrownNay
Bladen CountyDuncan StewartNay
Burke County Charles McDowall Yea
Burke County Joseph McDowall Nay
Burke County Joseph McDowall, Jun.Yea
Burke CountyWilliam E. ErwinYea
Burke CountyJohn CarsonYea
Craven County Joseph McDowall, Jun.Yea
Craven CountyJohn AllenYea
Craven CountyRichard NixonYea
Craven CountyJoseph LeechYea
Craven CountyThomas WilliamsNay
Cumberland County John IngramYea
Cumberland CountyJohn HayYea
Cumberland CountyWilliam B. GroveYea
Cumberland CountyJames MooreNay
Cumberland CountyRobert AdamYea
Carteret County John EastonYea
Carteret CountyMalachi BellYea
Carteret CountyJohn FulfordYea
Carteret CountyWallace StyronYea
Carteret CountyJohn WallaceYea
Currituck County William FerebeeYea
Currituck CountyThomas P. WilliamsYea
Currituck CountySamuel FerebeeYea
Currituck CountyAndrew DukeYea
Currituck CountySpence HallYea
Chowan County Stephen CabarrusYea
Chowan CountyCharles JohnsonYea
Chowan CountyLemuel CreecyYea
Chowan CountyEdmund BlountYea
Chowan CountyWilliam Righton (late attendee)Yea
Camden County Isaac Gregory Yea
Camden CountyPeter DaugeYea
Camden CountyEnoch SawyerYea
Camden CountyHenry AbbottYea
Camden CountyCharles GrandyYea
Caswell County John WommackNay
Caswell CountyRobert DickensNay
Caswell CountyJohn GravesNay
Caswell CountyRobert PayneYea
Caswell CountyRobert BowmanYea
Chatham County Robert EdwardsNay
Chatham CountyWilliam VestallYea
Chatham CountyJohn ThompsonYea
Chatham CountyJohn RamsayYea
Chatham CountyJames AndersonYea
Dobbs County Benjamin SheppardYea
Dobbs CountyNathan LassiterYea
Dobbs CountySimeon Bright (late attendee)Yea
Duplin County James PearsallNay
Duplin County James Gillespie Nay
Duplin CountyRobert DicksonNay
Duplin CountyLavan WatkinsNay
Duplin County James Kenan Nay
Davidson County
(became part of Tennessee in 1796)
Charles GerrardYea
Davidson CountyJoel RiceYea
Davidson CountyRobert EwingYea
Davidson County James C. Mountflorence Yea
Davidson CountyWilliam DobbinYea
Edgecombe County Etheldred PhillipsYea
Edgecombe CountyThomas BlountYea
Edgecombe CountyJeremiah HilliardYea
Edgecombe CountyEtheldred GrayYea
Edgecombe CountyWilliam FortYea
Franklin County Henry HillNay
Franklin CountyThomas SherrodYea
Franklin CountyJordan HillYea
Franklin CountyWilliam LancasterYea
Franklin CountyWilliam ChristmasYea
Guilford County John HamiltonNay
Guilford CountyWilliam GowdyNay
Guilford CountyRichard D. CaldwellNay
Guilford CountyDaniel GillespieNay
Granville County Elijah MitchellNay
Granville CountyThomas PersonNay
Granville CountyThorton YanceyNay
Granville CountyPeter BennettNay
Granville CountyEdmund Taylor Jr.Nay
Gates County David RiceYea
Gates CountyJoseph RiddickYea
Gates CountyJohn BakerYea
Greene County
(became part of Tennessee in 1796)
John Sevier Yea
Greene CountyAlexander OutlawYea
Greene CountyJohn AllisonYea
Greene CountyGeorge DohertyYea
Greene CountyJames WilsonYea
Halifax County Lunsford Long Yea
Halifax County John Baptista Ashe Yea
Halifax County Peter Qualls Yea
Halifax County John Whitaker Yea
Halifax County Marmaduke Norfleet Yea
Hertford County Thomas WynnsYea
Hertford CountyRobert MontgomeryYea
Hertford CountyHardy MurfeeYea
Hertford CountyHenry HillYea
Hertford CountyHenry BakerYea
Hyde County John EbornYea
Hyde CountyJames WatsonYea
Hyde CountyJohn AndersonYea
Hyde CountyJames JasperYea
Hyde CountyMichael PetersYea
Hawkins County
(became part of Tennessee in 1789)
Nathaniel HendersonYea
Hawkins County James White Yea
Hawkins CountyJohn HuntYea
Hawkins CountyElijah Chessen (late attendee)Yea
Iredell County Adlai Osborne Yea
Iredell County Adam Brevard Yea
Iredell County Musentine Matthews Yea
Iredell County John Nesbitt (Nisbet)Yea
Iredell County David Caldwell Yea
Johnston County Samuel SmithYea
Johnston CountyHardy BryanYea
Johnston CountyWilliam BridgersYea
Johnston CountyWilliam HackneyYea
Johnston CountyMatthias HandyYea
Jones County Frederick HargettYea
Jones CountyEdward WhittyYea
Jones CountyJohn H. BryanYea
Jones CountyJacob JohnstonYea
Lincoln County Joseph Dickson Yea
Lincoln CountyJohn MooreYea
Lincoln CountyWilliam MacLaineYea
Lincoln CountyRobert AlexanderNay
Lincoln CountyJohn CaruthYea
Moore County William MartinNay
Moore CountyThomas TysonYea
Moore CountyDonald MacIntoshNay
Moore CountyNeill McLeodNay
Moore CountyCornelius Doud (late attendee)Nay
Martin County John StewartYea
Martin CountyWilliam WilliamsYea
Martin CountyNathan MayoYea
Martin CountyThomas Hunter (late attendee)Yea
Mecklenburg County Zachias WilsonNay
Mecklenburg County Joseph Douglass Nay
Mecklenburg County Caleb Phifer Nay
Mecklenburg County Joseph Graham Nay
Mecklenburg CountyJames PorterNay
Montgomery County William JohnstonYea
Montgomery CountyJames TurnerYea
Montgomery CountyJames TindallYea
Montgomery County David Nesbitt Yea
Montgomery County James Crump Yea
Northampton County John M. BenfordYea
Northampton County Halcott B. Pride Nay
Northampton County Samuel Tarver Yea
Northampton CountyRobert PeeblesNay
Northampton CountySamuel PeeteYea
New Hanover County Timothy Bloodworth Nay
New Hanover County John G. Scull Nay
New Hanover County John Huske Nay
New Hanover CountyJohn A. CampbellNay
Nash County Howell EllinYea
Nash CountyWilson VickYea
Nash County William S. Marnes Yea
Nash CountyJohn BondsYea
Nash CountyHardy GriffinYea
Onslow County Robert W. SneedYea
Onslow CountyJohn SpicerYea
Onslow CountyDaniel YatesYea
Onslow CountyGeorge MitchellYea
Onslow CountyEdward WardYea
Orange County James ChristmassYea
Orange CountyThomas H. PerkinsNay
Orange County William F. Strudwick Nay
Orange CountyJoseph HodgeNay
Orange County Alexander Mebane Nay
Pasquotank County Edward EveregainYea
Pasquotank CountyJohn SwanYea
Pasquotank CountyThomas BanksYea
Pasquotank CountyDevotion DavisYea
Perquimans County His Excellency, Samuel Johnston Yea
Perquimans CountyJohn SkinnerYea
Perquimans CountyJoseph HarveyYea
Perquimans CountyBenjamin PerryYea
Perquimans CountyAsbury SuttonYea
Pitt County William BlountYea
Pitt CountyShadrick AllenYea
Pitt County James Armstrong Yea
Pitt CountySamuel SimpsonYea
Pitt CountyBenjamin BellYea
Rowan County George H. BergerNay
Rowan CountyBazel GaitherYea
Rowan CountyJohn StokesYea
Rowan CountyMaxwell ChambersYea
Rowan County Matthew Lock Nay
Randolph County Zebedee WoodNay
Randolph CountyReuben WoodYea
Randolph CountyNathan StedmanYea
Randolph CountyWilliam Bailey (late attendee)Yea
Richmond County Edward WilliamsYea
Richmond CountyAlexander WatsonNay
Richmond CountyWilliam RobinsonNay
Richmond CountyDuncan M'FarlandNay
Richmond CountyDarby Harragan (late attendee)Nay
Rutherford County William PorterYea
Rutherford County James Holland Yea
Rutherford CountyRichard LewisYea
Rutherford CountyWilliam JohnsonYea
Rockingham County William BethellNay
Rockingham CountyJames GallawayNay
Rockingham CountyIsaac ClarkeNay
Rockingham CountyAbram PhillipsNay
Rockingham CountyJohn DabneyNay
Robeson County John WillisYea
Robeson CountyElias BarnesYea
Robeson CountyNeill BrownYea
Robeson CountyJohn CadeYea
Robeson CountyAlford SionYea
Surry County Joseph Winston Yea
Surry CountyGideon EdwardsNay
Surry County Absalom Bostwick Nay
Surry CountyEdward LovellYea
Surry CountyGeorge HouserYea
Sullivan County
(became part of Tennessee in 1796)
John RheaYea
Sullivan CountyWilliam NashNay
Sullivan CountyJohn ScottNay
Sullivan CountyJoseph MartinYea
Sampson County Richard ClintonNay
Sampson CountyJames SpillerYea
Sampson CountyJames ThompsonNay
Sampson CountyHardy HolmesNay
Sampson CountyWilliam KingNay
Sumner County
(became part of Tennessee in 1796)
Daniel SmithYea
Sumner CountyDavid WilsonYea
Sumner CountySamuel MasonYea
Sumner CountyEdward DouglassYea
Sumner CountyJohn OvertonYea
Tennessee County
(became Montgomery County, Tennessee and
Robertson County, Tennessee in 1796)
John MontgomeryYea
Tennessee CountyJohn DrewYea
Tennessee CountyThomas JohnstonYea
Tennessee County William Blount [15] Yea
Tennessee CountyBenjamin MeneesYea
Tyrrell County Thomas StewartYea
Tyrrell County Hugh Williamson [15] Yea
Tyrrell CountyJeremiah FrazierYea
Tyrrell CountySimeon SpruillYea
Tyrrell CountySamuel ChessonYea
Washington County
(became part of Tennessee in 1796)
Landon CarterYea
Washington CountyRobert LoveYea
Washington CountyJohn BlairYea
Washington CountyWilliam Houstonyea
Washington CountyAndrew GreenYea
Warren County Benjamin Hawkins Yea
Warren County Philemon Hawkins Yea
Warren CountySolomon GreenYea
Warren County Wyatt Hawkins Nay
Warren County Thomas Christmass Nay
Wayne County Richard McKinnieYea
Wayne CountyBurwell MooringNay
Wayne CountyDavid CogdellNay
Wayne CountyJosiah JerniganYea
Wayne CountyJames HandleyYea
Wake County Joel LaneYea
Wake CountyThomas HinesYea
Wake CountyHenry LaneYea
Wake CountyBrittain SandersNay
Wake CountyWilliam HayesYea
Wilkes County John BrownNay
Wilkes County William Lenoir Nay
Wilkes CountyJoseph HerndonNay
Wilkes CountyBenjamin JonesNay
Wilkes CountyWilliam NallNay
Town of Salisbury John Steele.Yea
Town of Edenton John Mare Yea
Town of Hillsboro Samuel Benton Yea
Town of Newbern Isaac Guion Yea
Town of Halifax William Richardson Davie. [15] Yea
Town of Wilmington William N. Hill Yea

See also

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John Nisbet (1738–1817) was a merchant, patriot during the American Revolution, delegate from the newly formed Iredell County, North Carolina to the Fayetteville Convention in 1789 that ratified the Constitution of the United States for North Carolina, and first state senator from Iredell County.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Cavanagh, John C. (2006). "Convention of 1789". NCPedia. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  2. "Fayetteville Convention of 1789". North Carolina History.org. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  3. John C. Cavanaugh, Decision at Fayetteville (Raleigh, 1989)
  4. William Price, Jr., "’There Ought to Be a Bill of Rights’: North Carolina Enters a New Nation," in The Bill of Rights and the States, ed. Patrick T. Conley and John Kaminski (Lanham, Maryland, 1992)
  5. Louise Irby Trenholme, The Ratification of the Federal Constitution in North Carolina (Columbia, Missouri, 1932)
  6. "Old Town Hall, Marker I-14" . Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  7. Parker, Roy Jr. (January 1, 1990). Cumberland County: A Brief History. North Carolina Office of Archives and History.
  8. Cavanagh (April 1, 1989). Decision at Fayetteville: North Carolina Ratification Convention and General Assembly of 1789. Historical Pubns Section.
  9. Johnson, Lucile Miller (1978). Hometown Heritage, Fayetteville, North Carolina. Colonel Robert Rowan Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution.
  10. Powell, William S., ed. (2006). Encyclopedia of North Carolina.
  11. "Unknown". (Raleigh) News and Observer. April 4, 1989.
  12. 1 2 3 "Minutes of the North Carolina Constitutional Convention at Fayetteville". Documenting the South. 1789. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  13. Note: final vote quoted from minutes vice NCPedia article. The list of members below shows 78 Nays. Attempts have been made to reconcile the difference.
  14. Connor, R.D.D. (1913). A Manual of North Carolina (PDF). Raleigh: North Carolina Historical Commission. p. 863-. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
  15. 1 2 3 Framer of the U.S. Constitution