| Date |
Event |
| May 17 |
Arrived in Philadelphia as one of the delegates appointed to represent Virginia during the Federal Convention. Delegates included George Washington and James Madison. |
| May 28 |
Made the first of his reported 136 speeches on the convention floor. |
| May 30 |
Favored a total revision of the Articles of Confederation. |
| May 31 |
Supported a proposal for popular election of the lower house of Congress. |
| June 1 |
Supported a National Executive directly elected by the people, with a term of office of seven years and no chance for reelection. |
| June 4 |
Drafted a speech stating the advantages of vesting executive power in three persons. |
| June 6 |
Favored direct election of Representatives by the people, rather than by state legislatures.
Supported a check on Congress by not allowing both the power of the purse and the sword to fall under one branch. |
| June 21 |
Again spoke in favor of allowing the people to directly elect Representatives. |
| June 22 |
Spoke on the importance of disqualifying legislators from holding other public offices. |
| July 2 |
Appointed to a committee to work out a compromise on representation in Congress. |
| July 11 |
Argued that representation in the lower house should be based on population. |
| July 17 |
Opposed direct election of Chief Executive and presidential tenure "during good behavior." |
| July 18 |
Favored giving Congress, rather than the Chief Executive, the power of appointing Federal Judges. |
| July 20 |
Supported the impeachment power as a check on the Chief Executive. |
| July 23 |
Spoke in favor of allowing the people, rather than the state legislatures, to ratify the new Constitution. |
| July 25 |
Supported a motion to limit the Chief Executive's tenure. |
| July 26 |
Opposed locating the national capital in the seat of any state government. |
| Aug. 8 |
Argued that tax and appropriation bills should originate in the lower house of Congress. |
| Aug. 9 |
Argued again that money bills should originate in the lower house of Congress, not in the Senate. |
| Aug. 11 |
Argued that publication of the proceedings of Congress should be mandatory. |
| Aug. 13 |
Insisted again that tax and appropriation powers should lie exclusively with the lower branch. |
| Aug. 17 |
Argued that Congress rather than the President should have the power to declare war. |
| Aug. 18 |
Argued that Congress should regulate the national militia and hoped there would be no standing army in times of peace. |
| Aug. 20 |
Motioned that Congress be able to enact sumptuary laws (laws that would discourage and punish drinking, gambling, and other undesirable public behavior). |
| Aug. 22 |
Opposed the slave trade, stating that it began out of "the avarice of the British merchants." |
| Aug. 29 |
Argued that if a simple majority in Congress, rather than a two-thirds majority, regulated trade, Southern interests would be in jeopardy. |
| Aug. 31 |
Announced that he "would sooner chop off his right hand than put it to the Constitution as it now stands." |
| Sept. 7 |
Suggested creating a council of state, with two members from each section of the country advising the president. Motion defeated. |
| Sept. 12 |
Offered to write a bill of rights, saying that this "would give great quiet to the people." Idea rejected unanimously. |
| Sept. 15 |
Joined fellow Virginia delegate Edmund Randolph in recommending a second federal convention. Idea rejected unanimously. |
| Sept. 16 |
Wrote his "Objections to This Constitution of Government" on the back of a committee report. |
| Sept. 17 |
Constitution signed by delegates present except Elbridge Gerry from Massachusetts, Edmund Randolph, and Mason. Convention adjourned. |
| Oct. 4 |
Broadside with Mason's "Objections" printed in Philadelphia. |
