Tempest at Dawn (43 page)

“
If you’ll allow me an additional point—”
Morris glanced toward Washington, then returned his attention to
the delegates in front of him. “I also fear new states. The rule of
representation ought to secure the Atlantic states a permanent
majority in the national councils. Some might say this is unjust,
but the western settlers will know the conditions in
advance.”

Wilson adjusted his glasses and stood for a long
moment to collect his thoughts. “Gentleman, if the interior country
should acquire population, then it has the right to govern, whether
we like it or not. The same jealousy just displayed in this chamber
misled Great Britain. And what were the consequences? Separation.
We will suffer the same results if we pursue a self-serving
policy.”

Mason, someone Sherman admired for always being
reasonable, supported the self-important Wilson. “When the western
states are made part of the union, they must be admitted on an
equal footing. It’s impossible to rig the sails of our nationhood
in a way that favors those in this room. At least, not without
restricting the horizons of our empire.”

Mason had offered the alternatives: build an
expansive empire or crowd together along the Atlantic. The western
territories could be made into colonies and ruled as the British
had ruled the American colonies, but the irony of that solution
escaped no one. Sherman gave Mason a friendly nod as he jostled his
way toward the exit after a long day.

Sherman didn’t bother to knock on the door but
walked directly behind the house to the mulberry tree. As expected,
Franklin sat in his overstuffed chair, enjoying the waning light
with a hot cup of tea.

“
Good evening, Mr. Sherman. Would you care for
tea or something stronger?”

“
Thank you, Doctor. Coffee, if it wouldn’t be
too much trouble.”

Franklin picked up a bell, but before he could ring
it, his manservant appeared as if by magic. “Service for two,
sir?”

“
Thank you, John, but could you brew a cup of
coffee for our guest? Fresh tea for me. And could you bring some of
those little cakes? I’ll feel guilty eating before dinner, but at
my age, a little guilt keeps life from becoming flat and
tasteless.”

“
Of course, sir. I’ll bring the cranberry
ones. They’re especially wicked.”

“
Good man. When I die, I shall take you with
me.”

“
With greatest respect, sir, I have reached a
hobbled age myself. I no longer travel.”

“
More’s the pity,” Franklin said with a
devious grin. “I don’t know what I’ll do in the hereafter without
you.”

“
Tell earthy stories, I suppose,” John said
with his own disarming smile.

As the servant disappeared into the house, Franklin
said, “John’s been with me for years. A good friend, actually.”

“
Doctor, I can’t imagine anyone not becoming
your friend after getting to know you.”

“
You must talk to John Adams,” Franklin said
with a twinkle. “Anyway, what did you think of today’s
session?”

“
Frustrating. The course has been set, but
some still fight the wind.”

“
You mean you’ve won and you’re miffed others
don’t surrender.”

Sherman felt his back stiffen. “Thank you, Doctor. I
mustn’t become complacent.”

“
Nor presumptuous. We worked with you, but we
did so under duress. We’re friends, not political allies. Even if
we share the same goal, our armies are not at each other’s
disposal.”

“
Point accepted, Doctor. What did you think
about today’s session?”

“
Something came up we didn’t expect. Important
delegates will fight the report unless we give them one more
concession.”

“
What do they want?”

“
A different committee to define
proportionality in the lower house. This time they chose the
membership.”

“
I see.” Sherman sat for a moment and for the
first time envied Ellsworth’s ruse with his snuffbox. “This looks
like a strategy to divide and conquer.”

“
I thought that at first. Get one of the three
elements of the report separated and dispatched to a committee of
alligators. But after much conversation, I believe they merely want
to influence the proportionality rules.”

“
How?” Sherman asked.

“
Some property consideration. I didn’t expect
you to object since they seek to define the branch not ruled by the
states.”

“
It could change the balance. Destroy
Madison’s well-thought-out scheme.”

“
I thought you already did that.”

“
Once the states are protected, I believe the
rest of Madison’s plan sound.”

“
How tolerant of you,” Franklin said with an
edge. “Let’s return to the point. Will you support another
committee assigned to work out the lower house
proportionality?”

“
I won’t fight it.”

“
Will you vote for it?”

Sherman made a show of looking around. “Tea and
coffee would be a helpful diversion.”

“
John will be along in a moment.”

Sherman settled back and smiled at the wily old man.
“Yes, sir, Connecticut will vote for recommitment.”

“
Excellent. A small price. You get the Senate
and they get the first branch. Ah, here’s John now.”

Had Sherman missed a subtle signal, or had the two
worked together so long that an overt gesture was unneeded? John
used both hands to hold a silver tray arrayed with service pieces.
After setting the tray down, John poured coffee and held the crème
aloft with a questioning glance. Sherman nodded and watched John
turn the black coffee to the tempting shade of morning toast.
Franklin leaned forward and lifted a porcelain dish that held a
cranberry cake encrusted with brown sugar.

“
Try one. They’re delicious and so light they
won’t spoil your dinner.”

“
With pleasure, Doctor,” Sherman said, as he
lifted his cup in salute. “I always like to sweeten bitter
moments.”

On Friday morning, Gouverneur Morris proposed that
the first element of the committee report be recommitted. King then
went into matters that made Sherman wince. “The United States owns
the Northwest Territory. Congress has made a compact with the
settlers that as soon as the number in any state equals that of the
smallest of the original thirteen states, it may claim admission
into the union. Gentlemen, Delaware contains thirty-five thousand
souls. Fifteen new votes may be added to the Senate, with fewer
inhabitants than are represented by a single Pennsylvania
vote.”

Sherman thought this was too close to their covert
negotiations with Congress. Someone had talked and triggered the
delegates to consider the ramifications of a rash of new western
states. Sherman understood what was going on. The western states
could add population faster than wealth. If the South and their
allies could get property into the equation, the new states
wouldn’t pose a threat for many years. Sherman wondered what
Madison thought about his side violating his precious
principles.

When they voted, Sherman lived up to his promise,
and Connecticut joined six other states to pass the recommitment.
The new committee membership reversed the bias of the prior
committee. The members included Gouverneur Morris, Edmund Randolph,
Rufus King, Nathaniel Gorham, and John Rutledge. All five men were
on a mission to fend off the power of new states. Sherman marveled
at how resolving one aspect of the government just raised another
issue. He made a mental note to write Connecticut for more money.
The summer had just begun.

Once the first clause had been sent to committee,
Wilson and Mason proposed that they move directly to representation
in the Senate. The gambit to bypass the money clause irked Sherman.
Franklin saw the threat as well. He immediately said that Senate
representation could not be debated by itself. The doctor abandoned
his normally congenial manner to say quite strongly, “I refuse to
vote for the propositions separately. I’ll vote only on the whole
report.”

Mason, with exaggerated innocence, said, “Dear sir,
I agree with your point and kindly suggest that the rest of the
report be sent to the recently appointed committee. That way, all
three propositions can be considered together.”

Sherman bristled. They wanted to ride roughshod over
his work with a committee of their own. Madison then interjected
some of his maddening logic. He said that if the other two
propositions were irrevocably connected to the one just sent to
committee, they should all be sent to committee. If they weren’t
connected, then the remaining two propositions could be debated in
any sequence. Despite the parliamentary maneuvers, Sherman’s group
forced the debate to the money clause.

Gouverneur Morris started. “All laws take money out
of people’s pockets. I’ve waited patiently to hear the good effects
of the money bill restriction, but I’ve heard none.”

Adjusting his spectacles with thumb and forefinger,
Franklin spoke directly to Morris. “Public revenue bestows power to
the people authorized to spend it. Money matters must be restricted
to the immediate representatives of the people.” Then, with a
twinkling smile and dismissive wave of the hand, he said, “As to
the danger that might arise from Senate backroom shenanigans, it
can be easily gotten around by declaring that there will be no
Senate.”

These sharp remarks from the convention’s most
senior delegate led to an immediate vote on the money clause. If
Sherman lost, the carefully crafted committee report would be
gutted like a luckless mackerel pulled onto a Gloucester boat.
Sherman exhaled a long slow breath when the convention voted five
to three to keep the clause in the report. Three divided states
signaled that their report had straddled that fine line where a
proposal passes, but nobody goes away happy.

Sherman stepped into the glare of the midafternoon
sun and squinted until he could throw his left hand up to shade his
eyes. As he descended the few steps leading to the broad sidewalk
in front of the State House, Sherman recognized the soft, eager
voice of Madison.

“
May Mr. Wilson and I join you?”

“
If we can find a piece of shade, I’d be
delighted.”

“
Let’s cross the street. We can stand under
one of the trees next to the Coach and Horses.”

“
Please,” Sherman said with an underhanded
wave of the hand, “lead the way before this sun bakes me dark as a
sailor.”

Wilson looked miserable. With droplets of
perspiration leaking from beneath his powdered wig, he said, “Yes,
let’s get out of this blasted sun.”

The three men navigated the perilous crossing,
somehow avoiding the carriages, wagons, horsemen, and hand-pulled
carts. Madison led the way around the inn’s guests who had cordoned
off a piece of grass for lawn bowling. From the boisterous taunting
of their opponents, it was obvious that the bowlers had drunk and
wagered enough to make the game interesting. When they reached the
shade of a tree, the pudgy Wilson was wheezing like he had just
sprinted the State House yard. Despite his flushed face, heaving
chest, and glistening brow, Wilson was still able to throw a
disdainful glance back at the commoners, who bowled with more
exuberance than skill. “Those ruffians have no idea of the
seriousness of our work.”

Madison pointed to a rough-hewn bench sitting under
a tree further behind the inn. “Let’s sit over there in the
shade.”

Wilson said, “You two go, and I’ll see if I can
convince some wench at this inferior inn to bring us cold
lemonade.”

“
James doesn’t suffer the heat well,” Madison
said.

“
I noticed,” Sherman said evenly.

Madison gave Sherman an appraising glance. Evidently
detecting no mockery, Madison said, “We’re not making
progress.”

“
On the contrary, we’ve made excellent
progress. You must allow other ideas to be woven into your design.”
Since Madison looked unyielding, Sherman tried logic. “With an
equal vote in the Senate, a majority of states, as well as a
majority of the people, will support public measures.”

Madison disappointed Sherman by ignoring his
comment. “Mr. Sherman, I’ve come to see you because you’ve directed
this sad series of events. Can’t we come to some accommodation that
stops this endless bickering over representation?”

Before Sherman could respond, Wilson waddled over in
a way that suggested he had developed a heat rash between his legs.
“I’m promised that we’ll soon be sipping a cool lemonade, but I’m
not optimistic. The man looked brutish and in want of base
intellect.”

“
I’ve just broached the subject with Mr.
Sherman,” Madison said.

Wilson gave a hopeful look at Sherman. “What say
you? Is there no way out of this mire you’ve sucked us into?”

“
We’ve already waded onto solid ground,”
Sherman said. “The committee report is a firm foundation for moving
forward.”

“
The committee report is unjust,
reprehensible, and engineered to the advantage of the small
states,” Wilson fumed. “If you think

”

Madison quickly jumped in. “Mr. Sherman, please
excuse Mr. Wilson’s anger. He had such high hopes for this
convention. Now he sees everything at risk.”

“
Mr. Madison, do not apologize for me. I don’t
regret my comments.”

“
Perhaps you should just explain what you find
objectionable,” Sherman said.