Tempest at Dawn (29 page)

Sherman tried his most engaging smile. “Abe,
this is politics. Allegiances last but a fortnight.”

“
My backcountrymen distrust a strong
national government, so I need the appearance of unity with
seaboard Georgians. I can’t go against the rest of my
deligation.”

“
What would convince the other Georgia
delegates to support a single vote in the Senate?”

“
So, it’s games you want to play. All
right, I’ll tell you. Your gambit on slavery won’t work. Compared
to the other Southern states, Georgia isn’t as dependent on
slaveholdings—and my district has an even lower ratio of
slaves.”

“
What will work?”

“
You’re asking how you can buy their
votes?”

“
What do they fear? Assuaging fear
costs less than feeding appetites.”

“
You fiend. You never cease to astound
me.” Baldwin uncrossed his legs and faced Sherman directly.
“Remember, we speak hypothetically. Georgia claims vast tracts of
land to the west, all the way to the Mississippi. The greatest fear
in my state is that a national government will take this land away
from Georgia and carve it into new, independent states. This isn’t
just hubris. Huge fortunes are at stake.”

“
Does this concern you
personally?”

“
It concerns Wilkes County—and
prominent people along the seaboard.”

“
Thank you, Abe. You’ve given me
something to work with.”

“
I’ve given you nothing. I’m serious,
Roger. No deal, no assurances, no staked-out common ground. We
leave as we entered—good friends who just happen to be on the
opposite sides of a peevish political dilemma.”

“
I understand,” Sherman
said.

Baldwin grinned like a privateer that had
just caught sight of a Spanish galleon. “I must admit my friend; I
can’t wait to see what you do with this bit of flotsam.”

“
We’ve been trounced.” Paterson looked
downtrodden.

Sherman kept his voice light. “We’re in
committee and we need only one more state.”

“
Which state do you propose to
seduce?” Paterson asked. “They’re fitted tighter than a dovetailed
chest of drawers.”

“
William, it’s time for you to present
your plan,” Sherman said.

“
I’m not ready.”

“
What?”

“
I’m not ready.”

“
William, we’ve passed the Virginia
Plan. You must present now.”

On Tuesday and today, the convention had
whipped through the rest of the Virginia Plan. With the suffrage
issue behind them, no one had any more fight. This morning, after
approving nineteen resolves, four more than originally proposed,
the Committee of the Whole officially reported out the plan.

“
Roger, you were the one who told me
to seek advice from Delaware and Maryland. Martin drives me
crazy.”

“
How much time do you
need?”

“
Maybe Friday.”

Sherman gave an exasperated sigh. “I don’t
want to expend political points asking for a delay.”

“
You control Martin then. I’m done
with this charade.”

Sherman stopped short. “You’re right. I
apologize. I gave you an impossible task. We’ll just have to seek
more time.”

“
Do you think they’ll consider my
plan?”

“
When the delegates see it, we’ll win
converts. Sanity will once again prevail in the
chamber.”

Sherman didn’t believe a word he said.

“
General, may I speak to
you?”

“
Mr. Sherman, just the man I was
looking for. Let’s talk.”

Both had just arrived at the State House for
Thursday’s session. Sherman followed Washington to the tower Stair
Hall and up to the landing midway to the second floor. The landing
was the architectural masterpiece of the building. Its Ionic
pilasters were capped with bellflower pendants. A cornice framed a
high Palladian window that looked down to the yard below.

“
Why were you looking for me,
General?”

“
I wanted to check the mood of the
small states. The campaign can be wrapped up quickly with your
support.”

“
With all due respect, I don’t believe
things can be wrapped up quickly.”

Washington gave Sherman an unrelenting
stare. “Why not?”

“
Paterson has worked tirelessly on a
plan with the other small states. They insist on presenting
it.”

“
The committee already reported out a
plan. One, if memory serves, that was vigorously debated. The will
of the Committee of the Whole has been determined.”

“
The assembly hasn’t had an
opportunity to see this plan.”

“
Why’ve you delayed in bringing it
forward?”

“
The small states came unprepared. It
had to be hashed out in the scant time between sessions. Maryland
arrived late.”

“
Who’s behind this plan?” Washington
demanded.

Did Washington mean which states or which
men? Sherman, tall enough to maintain level eye contact, suddenly
felt in wont of stature. “New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and
Connecticut. Possibly New York.”

“
You support this infamy?”

“
Yes, sir.” Sherman paused. “But
honest disagreement is not infamy.”

“
It’s at least foolish. The country
disintegrates, and you quibble over peccadilloes.”

Washington walked over to the Gothic laced
window. He looked down at the yard for a long period, then squared
his shoulders and returned to where Sherman stood. “Mr. Sherman, we
must come out of this convention with a plan for a new government.
It’s imperative. What must I do to secure your cooperation?”

“
Sir, you have my
cooperation.”

“
But you don’t support the plan duly
voted for by the committee.”

“
No, sir, I do not.”

“
Why not!”

“
It will trample
Connecticut.”

“
My god, man, can you not see? Are
things so different in Connecticut?”

“
No, sir. The situation in Connecticut
is dire.”

“
Then why can’t you support this
plan?”

“
Because it’s sedition!”

Washington looked ready to explode. Sherman
braced himself, but instead, the general turned and walked back to
gaze out the window again. After a longer recess, he slowly turned
to face Sherman. “We disagree … obviously.” Washington turned his
full frame toward Sherman but stayed at the window casing. He spoke
softly. “Roger, presently we’re weak at home and a disgrace abroad.
I believe state governments cause our disorder. They go to
incredible length to guard their power.” Washington took a step
closer. “Your refusal to yield will destroy this great
country.”

“
General, I believe every word you
just said, except the last sentence. If not for my efforts, this
convention would already be dead.”

Washington slowly closed the space between
the two men; then, surprisingly, he put his hand on Sherman’s
shoulder. “I believe you. Now what must we do to save our
country?”

“
Allow Paterson to present his plan.
It won’t pass, but an idea or two weaved into the Virginia Plan
might win the united support we need.”

“
I’ll instruct Gorham to give Paterson
the floor.”

“
Thank you. He’ll be ready
tomorrow.”

“
Why not today?”

“
I need time to counsel him. His ire
must be harnessed.”

With exasperation, Washington said, “Very
well. I’ll support a recess.”

Washington removed his hand and made a
motion to leave.

“
Sir, if I may.”

“
Yes.”

“
We want the same goal, but we serve
different constituents. You have my commitment to work for a sound
national government, but I must continue to present my
views.”

“
Roger, I insist on your vote to get
us out of committee.”

“
If I say yes, what am I committing
to?”

“
When we vote out the final
recommendation of the Committee of the Whole, I want you to vote
with the will of the chamber.”

“
Alright, William, explain it to us one more
time.”

They all grouped around the table where Mrs.
Marshall served meals. After being granted a one-day recess, the
small state leaders had rushed to the boardinghouse to go over
Paterson’s plan one more time.

The room had a comfortable feel. The bright
yellow wainscoting complemented the pastoral wallpaper highlighted
with traces of yellow. The massive sideboard along one wall,
created by the English furniture maker Thomas Chippendale, must
have been Mrs. Marshall’s prized possession and displayed her
willow-patterned china and sparkling silver service. The seafaring
paintings around the room paid tribute to her deceased merchant
husband.

Paterson cleared his throat. “The first
resolve quotes our instructions from Congress to remind the
delegates of our limited authority.”

“
I don’t need a reminder to see we’ve
verged off course,” Martin said.

“
Let’s hold the criticism and allow
William to move through this quickly,” Sherman said. “We’re out of
time.”

Paterson read through the plan with no
further interruptions. The laws of Congress were supreme and bound
the states. Congress had the authority to apply duties on import
and provide penalties for noncompliance. The state courts
interpreted laws, with appeals to the national judiciary. Taxes
were levied based on the formula used by the Virginia Plan for
representation. The national government could use force to collect
unpaid taxes or to enforce laws, but only after an unspecified
number of states concurred. The executive consisted of more than
one person and could be impeached by a majority of state
executives. The state executives collectively appointed federal
officers and a supreme tribunal of judges, and controlled the
military. The supreme tribunal held the power to impeach all
federal officers except the executive.

Since this was a revision of the Articles,
then by omission, each state continued to have one vote. There were
other details, but basically, this version was more refined than
the plan they had outlined three weeks ago. They used language from
the Virginia Plan, including “three-fifths of all other persons,”
to determine taxes as a ploy. If slaves justified increased
representation, then slaves could determine taxes.

Sherman still believed that Congress would
accept this plan, but he had been convinced during the debates that
they must go further. What should he do?

“
Does everyone agree?” Sherman
asked.

He visually worked his way around the table,
getting a nod or short affirmative answer from everyone. Everyone
except Luther Martin, who sat to his immediate left.

“
Luther, how do you vote?”

“
I presume you don’t wish me to
pontificate?” Martin asked.

“
Brevity makes a man appear smarter,”
Sherman answered.

With an uplifted eyebrow, Martin voted.
“Aye.”

Sherman smiled. “You must want to appear a
genius.”

This caused genuine laughter. Relief that
they had all agreed heightened the levity. Sherman decided not to
voice his reservations.

“
William, how long to scribe a clean
copy?” Sherman asked.

“
Two, three hours.”

“
Before you start, we have one last
issue. Who pays for copies?” After a long silence, Sherman added,
“You must all want to appear smart.”

Now the mood verged on dizzy euphoria.
Sherman regretted the quip; he needed to deal with this issue
seriously. “William, can you buy the copies?”

“
No.” Paterson assumed a helpless
expression. “We’ve written for more funds. Our
delegation—”

“
This is the New Jersey Plan,” Sherman
interrupted.

“
Yes, but
—
”

“
But what?”

“
We have no money.”

Sherman looked around at the other men. No
one volunteered.

“
Very well, Connecticut will fund the
copies. On one condition: there are sure to be additional expenses,
so each of you must write your legislatures for additional
funds.”

After extracting promises from each state,
the party broke to allow Paterson time to scribe an original. As
the delegates left, Ellsworth approached Sherman.

“
How can Connecticut pay? We’ve
consumed our allowance.”

“
I’ll buy the copies. It’s not a big
expense; it just irks me that everyone pleads poverty after they
entertain each other in taverns with public money.”

“
The price of leadership?”

“
The price of leadership.”

“
Roger, I apologize, but I no longer
like this plan.”

“
Don’t apologize; neither do I.”
Sherman liked Ellsworth’s look of surprise. He probably had
expected a rebuff.

“
Well, uh, may I propose amendments
from the floor?”

“
Yes.” Still more surprise on
Ellsworth’s face.