Fayetteville 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.

Location

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.

Proceedings

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

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.:
County/CityDelegateVote
Anson CountyThe Hon. Samuel SpencerNay
Anson CountyJesse GilbertYea
Anson CountyPleasant MayNay
Anson CountyThomas WadeYea
Anson CountyDavid JamesonYea
Beaufort CountyJohn G. BlountYea
Beaufort CountyWilliam BrownYea
Beaufort CountyRichard GristYea
Beaufort CountyAlderson EllisonYea
Beaufort CountySilas W. ArnettYea
Bertie CountyJohn JohnstonYea
Bertie CountyFrancis PughYea
Bertie CountyWilliam Johnston DawsonYea
Bertie CountyDavid TurnerYea
Bertie CountyDavid StoneYea
Brunswick CountyBenjamin SmithYea
Brunswick CountWilliam E. LordNay
Brunswick CountyWilliam GauseYea
Brunswick CountyJohn HallYea
Brunswick CountyDennis HawkinsYea
Bladen CountyJohn CowanYea
Bladen CountyThomas OwenYea
Bladen CountyJoseph GaitierNay
Bladen CountyThomas BrownNay
Bladen CountyDuncan StewartNay
Burke CountyCharles McDowallYea
Burke CountyJoseph McDowallNay
Burke CountyJoseph McDowall, Jun.Yea
Burke CountyWilliam E. ErwinYea
Burke CountyJohn CarsonYea
Craven CountyJoseph McDowall, Jun.Yea
Craven CountyJohn AllenYea
Craven CountyRichard NixonYea
Craven CountyJoseph LeechYea
Craven CountyThomas WilliamsNay
Cumberland CountyJohn IngramYea
Cumberland CountyJohn HayYea
Cumberland CountyWilliam B. GroveYea
Cumberland CountyJames MooreNay
Cumberland CountyRobert AdamYea
Carteret CountyJohn EastonYea
Carteret CountyMalachi BellYea
Carteret CountyJohn FulfordYea
Carteret CountyWallace StyronYea
Carteret CountyJohn WallaceYea
Currituck CountyWilliam FerebeeYea
Currituck CountyThomas P. WilliamsYea
Currituck CountySamuel FerebeeYea
Currituck CountyAndrew DukeYea
Currituck CountySpence HallYea
Chowan CountyStephen CabarrusYea
Chowan CountyCharles JohnsonYea
Chowan CountyLemuel CreecyYea
Chowan CountyEdmund BlountYea
Chowan CountyWilliam Righton Yea
Camden CountyIsaac GregoryYea
Camden CountyPeter DaugeYea
Camden CountyEnoch SawyerYea
Camden CountyHenry AbbottYea
Camden CountyCharles GrandyYea
Caswell CountyJohn WommackNay
Caswell CountyRobert DickensNay
Caswell CountyJohn GravesNay
Caswell CountyRobert PayneYea
Caswell CountyRobert BowmanYea
Chatham CountyRobert EdwardsNay
Chatham CountyWilliam VestallYea
Chatham CountyJohn ThompsonYea
Chatham CountyJohn RamsayYea
Chatham CountyJames AndersonYea
Dobbs CountyBenjamin SheppardYea
Dobbs CountyNathan LassiterYea
Dobbs CountySimeon Bright Yea
Duplin CountyJames PearsallNay
Duplin CountyJames GillespieNay
Duplin CountyRobert DicksonNay
Duplin CountyLavan WatkinsNay
Duplin CountyJames KenanNay
Davidson County
Charles GerrardYea
Davidson CountyJoel RiceYea
Davidson CountyRobert EwingYea
Davidson CountyJames C. MountflorenceYea
Davidson CountyWilliam DobbinYea
Edgecombe CountyEtheldred PhillipsYea
Edgecombe CountyThomas BlountYea
Edgecombe CountyJeremiah HilliardYea
Edgecombe CountyEtheldred GrayYea
Edgecombe CountyWilliam FortYea
Franklin CountyHenry HillNay
Franklin CountyThomas SherrodYea
Franklin CountyJordan HillYea
Franklin CountyWilliam LancasterYea
Franklin CountyWilliam ChristmasYea
Guilford CountyJohn HamiltonNay
Guilford CountyWilliam GowdyNay
Guilford CountyRichard D. CaldwellNay
Guilford CountyDaniel GillespieNay
Granville CountyElijah MitchellNay
Granville CountyThomas PersonNay
Granville CountyThorton YanceyNay
Granville CountyPeter BennettNay
Granville CountyEdmund Taylor Jr.Nay
Gates CountyDavid RiceYea
Gates CountyJoseph RiddickYea
Gates CountyJohn BakerYea
Greene County
John SevierYea
Greene CountyAlexander OutlawYea
Greene CountyJohn AllisonYea
Greene CountyGeorge DohertyYea
Greene CountyJames WilsonYea
Halifax CountyLunsford LongYea
Halifax CountyJohn Baptista AsheYea
Halifax CountyPeter QuallsYea
Halifax CountyJohn WhitakerYea
Halifax CountyMarmaduke NorfleetYea
Hertford CountyThomas WynnsYea
Hertford CountyRobert MontgomeryYea
Hertford CountyHardy MurfeeYea
Hertford CountyHenry HillYea
Hertford CountyHenry BakerYea
Hyde CountyJohn EbornYea
Hyde CountyJames WatsonYea
Hyde CountyJohn AndersonYea
Hyde CountyJames JasperYea
Hyde CountyMichael PetersYea
Hawkins County
Nathaniel HendersonYea
Hawkins CountyJames WhiteYea
Hawkins CountyJohn HuntYea
Hawkins CountyElijah Chessen Yea
Iredell CountyAdlai OsborneYea
Iredell CountyAdam BrevardYea
Iredell CountyMusentine MatthewsYea
Iredell CountyJohn Nesbitt Yea
Iredell CountyDavid CaldwellYea
Johnston CountySamuel SmithYea
Johnston CountyHardy BryanYea
Johnston CountyWilliam BridgersYea
Johnston CountyWilliam HackneyYea
Johnston CountyMatthias HandyYea
Jones CountyFrederick HargettYea
Jones CountyEdward WhittyYea
Jones CountyJohn H. BryanYea
Jones CountyJacob JohnstonYea
Lincoln CountyJoseph DicksonYea
Lincoln CountyJohn MooreYea
Lincoln CountyWilliam MacLaineYea
Lincoln CountyRobert AlexanderNay
Lincoln CountyJohn CaruthYea
Moore CountyWilliam MartinNay
Moore CountyThomas TysonYea
Moore CountyDonald MacIntoshNay
Moore CountyNeill McLeodNay
Moore CountyCornelius Doud Nay
Martin CountyJohn StewartYea
Martin CountyWilliam WilliamsYea
Martin CountyNathan MayoYea
Martin CountyThomas Hunter Yea
Mecklenburg CountyZachias WilsonNay
Mecklenburg CountyJoseph DouglassNay
Mecklenburg CountyCaleb PhiferNay
Mecklenburg CountyJoseph GrahamNay
Mecklenburg CountyJames PorterNay
Montgomery CountyWilliam JohnstonYea
Montgomery CountyJames TurnerYea
Montgomery CountyJames TindallYea
Montgomery CountyDavid NesbittYea
Montgomery CountyJames CrumpYea
Northampton CountyJohn M. BenfordYea
Northampton CountyHalcott B. PrideNay
Northampton CountySamuel TarverYea
Northampton CountyRobert PeeblesNay
Northampton CountySamuel PeeteYea
New Hanover CountyTimothy BloodworthNay
New Hanover CountyJohn G. ScullNay
New Hanover CountyJohn HuskeNay
New Hanover CountyJohn A. CampbellNay
Nash CountyHowell EllinYea
Nash CountyWilson VickYea
Nash CountyWilliam S. MarnesYea
Nash CountyJohn BondsYea
Nash CountyHardy GriffinYea
Onslow CountyRobert W. SneedYea
Onslow CountyJohn SpicerYea
Onslow CountyDaniel YatesYea
Onslow CountyGeorge MitchellYea
Onslow CountyEdward WardYea
Orange CountyJames ChristmassYea
Orange CountyThomas H. PerkinsNay
Orange CountyWilliam F. StrudwickNay
Orange CountyJoseph HodgeNay
Orange CountyAlexander MebaneNay
Pasquotank CountyEdward EveregainYea
Pasquotank CountyJohn SwanYea
Pasquotank CountyThomas BanksYea
Pasquotank CountyDevotion DavisYea
Perquimans CountyHis Excellency, Samuel JohnstonYea
Perquimans CountyJohn SkinnerYea
Perquimans CountyJoseph HarveyYea
Perquimans CountyBenjamin PerryYea
Perquimans CountyAsbury SuttonYea
Pitt CountyWilliam BlountYea
Pitt CountyShadrick AllenYea
Pitt CountyJames ArmstrongYea
Pitt CountySamuel SimpsonYea
Pitt CountyBenjamin BellYea
Rowan CountyGeorge H. BergerNay
Rowan CountyBazel GaitherYea
Rowan CountyJohn StokesYea
Rowan CountyMaxwell ChambersYea
Rowan CountyMatthew LockNay
Randolph CountyZebedee WoodNay
Randolph CountyReuben WoodYea
Randolph CountyNathan StedmanYea
Randolph CountyWilliam Bailey Yea
Richmond CountyEdward WilliamsYea
Richmond CountyAlexander WatsonNay
Richmond CountyWilliam RobinsonNay
Richmond CountyDuncan M'FarlandNay
Richmond CountyDarby Harragan Nay
Rutherford CountyWilliam PorterYea
Rutherford CountyJames HollandYea
Rutherford CountyRichard LewisYea
Rutherford CountyWilliam JohnsonYea
Rockingham CountyWilliam BethellNay
Rockingham CountyJames GallawayNay
Rockingham CountyIsaac ClarkeNay
Rockingham CountyAbram PhillipsNay
Rockingham CountyJohn DabneyNay
Robeson CountyJohn WillisYea
Robeson CountyElias BarnesYea
Robeson CountyNeill BrownYea
Robeson CountyJohn CadeYea
Robeson CountyAlford SionYea
Surry CountyJoseph WinstonYea
Surry CountyGideon EdwardsNay
Surry CountyAbsalom BostwickNay
Surry CountyEdward LovellYea
Surry CountyGeorge HouserYea
Sullivan County
John RheaYea
Sullivan CountyWilliam NashNay
Sullivan CountyJohn ScottNay
Sullivan CountyJoseph MartinYea
Sampson CountyRichard ClintonNay
Sampson CountyJames SpillerYea
Sampson CountyJames ThompsonNay
Sampson CountyHardy HolmesNay
Sampson CountyWilliam KingNay
Sumner County
Daniel SmithYea
Sumner CountyDavid WilsonYea
Sumner CountySamuel MasonYea
Sumner CountyEdward DouglassYea
Sumner CountyJohn OvertonYea
Tennessee County
John MontgomeryYea
Tennessee CountyJohn DrewYea
Tennessee CountyThomas JohnstonYea
Tennessee CountyWilliam BlountYea
Tennessee CountyBenjamin MeneesYea
Tyrrell CountyThomas StewartYea
Tyrrell CountyHugh WilliamsonYea
Tyrrell CountyJeremiah FrazierYea
Tyrrell CountySimeon SpruillYea
Tyrrell CountySamuel ChessonYea
Washington County
Landon CarterYea
Washington CountyRobert LoveYea
Washington CountyJohn BlairYea
Washington CountyWilliam Houstonyea
Washington CountyAndrew GreenYea
Warren CountyBenjamin HawkinsYea
Warren CountyPhilemon HawkinsYea
Warren CountySolomon GreenYea
Warren CountyWyatt HawkinsNay
Warren CountyThomas ChristmassNay
Wayne CountyRichard McKinnieYea
Wayne CountyBurwell MooringNay
Wayne CountyDavid CogdellNay
Wayne CountyJosiah JerniganYea
Wayne CountyJames HandleyYea
Wake CountyJoel LaneYea
Wake CountyThomas HinesYea
Wake CountyHenry LaneYea
Wake CountyBrittain SandersNay
Wake CountyWilliam HayesYea
Wilkes CountyJohn BrownNay
Wilkes CountyWilliam LenoirNay
Wilkes CountyJoseph HerndonNay
Wilkes CountyBenjamin JonesNay
Wilkes CountyWilliam NallNay
Town of SalisburyJohn Steele.Yea
Town of EdentonJohn MareYea
Town of HillsboroSamuel BentonYea
Town of NewbernIsaac GuionYea
Town of HalifaxWilliam Richardson Davie.Yea
Town of WilmingtonWilliam N. HillYea